


Teacher's Problem

by Serade



Series: Problem [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bullying, Cheating, Coming of Age, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Drama, Drug Use, F/M, Forbidden Love, Homophobia, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, Non-Exclusive Relationship(s), Promiscuity, Romance, Sass, Smoking, Smut, Stalker, Student Band, Suicide Attempt, Teacher-Student Relationship, mentions of family abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-04-25 05:29:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 98,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4948432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serade/pseuds/Serade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laxus is the new teacher of class 2A at Fairy Tail Boarding School. When he enters the classroom on Monday morning, a cold shower runs down his back. The guy he hooked up with over the weekend is one of his new students. And that's just the beginning of his problems with this teenager.<br/>(Laxus/Mirajane and Levy/Gajeel are only on the sidelines)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hunting

Bickslow had been feeling pretty down lately, but tonight, he was going out.

Yes, he knew drinking and getting laid wasn't considered a healthy way to deal with your problems, but it at least worked temporarily. That was a hell lot more than he could say for all the other things he had been forced to try so far. At least he wasn't getting high any more. That counted for something, right?

The club he was aiming for tonight was always very picky with whom they let in, but he was feeling confident with his get-up.

His baggy dark blue trousers were held up only by the belt around his waist. It really looked almost like they'd fall off his hips if he undid the clasp. It was a brilliant tease that truly worked its magic when he danced. That in combination with the way too expensive skate shoes, his crazy hairstyle, and the tattoo going down the bridge of his nose, he had the perfect overconfident air for a nightclub of this calibre.

A young and well trained guy that was willing to run around topless was like a win in the lottery to the clubs. He was a piece of fresh meat up for sale. Guys like him always attracted more clientèle. He was not only aware of that, but more than willing to exploit the fact. Showing off his body not only got him in, it also paid for his drinks most nights.

Strictly speaking, he wasn't allowed in to these places yet and even less so allowed to drink there, but it wasn't like anyone actually checked. He'd been going out for years and even back when he definitively didn't look old enough, he was still let in. Moral standards only went so far as long as no police was around. It was all about finding the bouncers that didn't give a damn, easy by word of mouth.

As soon as he was past the door, he headed over to the bar. The blaring music was a treat he had longed for. He had been a good boy and stayed in the dorms for a full two weeks after the last time he had missed school due to his “indecent behaviour”. Now, he was quenched!

Eyeing the men sitting at the bar, he considered his options. After contemplating for a moment, he picked a man in his forties that was sitting all alone in the corner.

Older guys generally loved it when he came up to them. It was flattering to be flirted with by someone 20 years younger than yourself. And if Bickslow was to be entirely honest, he had a thing for more mature men in turn. It was much more enticing to see a full grown man be attracted to you than some clueless boy.

He wasn't planing on leaving again this soon, though. Thus, he picked someone that wasn't quite his type, someone that didn't have perfect abs and eyes that spelled pleasure. This guy might even realise on his own that they weren't quite in the same league. Bickslow should be able to shake him off again without having to spell it out.

The black haired man looked kind enough and didn't seem too drunk yet either, so he wouldn't have to worry about any unwanted fondling. Not that he minded if the guy wanted to cup a feel, but he wasn't looking to be molested. He just needed to wet his throat.

He stalked over to the man and leaned onto the bar beside him, smiling brightly. “Heya.”

The man looked more than surprised at the approach, but smiled back happily. Bickslow had been right, he was definitively flattered. “Hello.”

“Buy me a drink?”, Bickslow requested, eyeing him in a flirtive manner.

“Ah. That's why you're talking to me”, the other man sighed and he sniggered a little.

“Well, I just wanted a reason to talk to you for a while”, he mused a lie and the man shook his head in amusement. “Even if I don't believe that, I'll buy you one if you actually spend the time with me”, he stated and Bickslow happily slipped into the man's lap. “Sounds like a plan.”

Downing the vodka mix rather quickly, he could see that the man was a little disappointed. He had hoped for a little more attention from the young topless one in his lap before he was ditched again. Bickslow smirked a little. He wasn't quite done using his charms.

“What did you say your name was?” he asked and the man relaxed back again, glad his eye candy didn't leave at once. “I didn't”, he teased.

“Well, are you going to take care of me for another round, Didn't?”, the younger man asked.

“You drink a bit fast”, the man argued, but Bickslow knew exactly how to get his way.

He smirked back at the older man knowingly and shifted a little, pressing himself back against the other's body. With a little effortless wiggling around, he managed to work the guy up, soon feeling a hard-on against his backside. There was even a slight blush creeping to the man's face. He was clearly not used to this much.

Score.

Bickslow leaned in close and mused into the man's ear, “Come on, entertain me a little.” He took the man's hand and placed it to his thigh, shooting him a coy look.

The black haired man cleared his throat awkwardly and ordered him another without further complaints.

Drinking that one a little slower, Bickslow shifted in the man's lap a little more, keeping pace with the music to make it look like he was innocently enjoying the beat. He could soon feel the hand on his thigh edge upwards ever so hesitantly.

His assessment had been right. The man was a nice guy.

Some saw it as their obvious right to touch and creep up on you when you milked them for drinks. It wasn't unusual, and it definitely wasn't unexpected, but that didn't make it any less of a turn off. He never agreed to whore himself out. If he did give something, it was still his choice. The drink was just a conversation starter.

This guy respected that, respected the young man sitting in his lap despite the sole reason for his presence being that he wasn't done drinking. Bickslow figured he'd show his appreciation to this good guy before leaving again.

Setting the empty glass down, he took the man's hand and led it up to his crotch. Holding it there, he leaned in again and pressed a kiss to the man's cheek. “Thanks, Didn't.”

“It's Tomas”, the man told him in a flustered exhale and he chuckled a little. “Don't care”, he stated matter of factly before standing up.

Just as he was going to walk away, the man caught his wrist. He worried for a split second, but the man let go of him again just as quickly. “I just want to ask you one thing. Did I have a chance or was it only for drinks?”

Bickslow smiled at that. “You're a good guy and who knows? Had it been later in the evening, I might have”, he answered honestly.

“Really? Why?”, the man asked sceptically. “Like I said, you're nice. And don't be so shocked, you're aright looking enough. Some like mature men you know.” With that, Bickslow walked away. He wasn't here to play therapist.

He spent the night dancing to his heart's content, moving to the beat and jumping from one hot body to the next, especially when someone offered to fuel him with another drink. Happily tipsy and aroused, he was about ready to leave. He didn't want to wait too long before he found a fuck or he might have to pick from the scraps.

Scooping the room, he found an interesting candidate sitting by the bar. He was tall, broad, and very well trained. He had to be around 25-30 years of age. Well groomed, short blond hair and firm orange eyes, he was a dashing sight, but what really made him stand out was a lighting shaped scar that marked the right side of his face. It gave him a dangerous flare that clearly did wonders for him. There were currently three pretty boys trying to charm him onto the dance floor.

Bickslow loved to take the ones that already had a bunch of prospects. It gave him a power rush to win these kinds of battles. Yea, he was promiscuous and egoistic. And so what? Life was there to be lived.

He was pretty confident about this one. The boys that wanted this blonde didn't know what the hell they were doing. They had so obviously missed every single detail about this stud. His leather trousers and half open lilac shirt screamed gay with clear confidence, but he wasn't the flamboyant type and wouldn't giggle and wink at them just because they gave him a clear come on.

The blonde was sitting with a perfectly straight back, watching the crowd with predatory eyes. He was drinking a pure whiskey and hadn't ordered anything but it, no other glasses before him. This man was not the kind to get tipsy and dance. He picked his target and then hunted it down, no frills.

Had it been the beginning of the night, Bickslow would have stepped up on one of the platforms sticking out of the crowd, making sure he was in plain view for the blonde. He would have caught the guy's attention, teased him by dancing and putting himself up for show under the dancing lights, and only at the very end, he would have looked over to the man, smirking confidently.

Then it would have been the blonde's turn to move. The man would simply have had to stand up and walk over, pick him down and take him home. He could tell that the blonde was a hunter like that. It couldn't have been more obvious if he had written it across his cheeks in bold black letters.

Bickslow could also tell, by the way those stormy orange eyes stayed on a young brunette dancing on one of the heights, that the blonde was about to decide on his prey. The brown haired man was pretty as hell and had apparently started his little game way earlier. Not willing to give in just because he was late to the party, Bickslow decided to play dirty and interrupt before it was too late.

Determined to get his way, he pushed through the crowd and headed over to the tall man. “Hey Stud”, he smirked and the orange eyes snapped to him instead, raking down his body from the black and blue hair to the well-kept shoes. He had a good poker face, but Bickslow was sure he left nothing to complain about.

“How about you buy me my last drink for the night?”, Bickslow tried and an amused sneer formed on the blond man's handsome face. “Why would I?”, he asked. His voice was deep and rumbling, very sexy.

“What do you want?”, Bickslow returned the question. He wanted to go home with this guy, so he didn't mind any inappropriate deals now.

“I've seen you milk the others around here”, the blonde stated and he chuckled. Perfect, the blonde had been checking him out now and again during the night already. That would make this so much easier.

“I could milk you for more than just drinks”, he made his intentions clear and the man huffed a laugh. “Thanks, but I'm not into whores”, he waved it off.

That was a first. No one had ever said no to him with that reason. It had been, 'not my type', 'too young', or, 'I can't because of a wife/boyfriend', but never, 'I'm not interested because you're too easy'. Then again, the man was a hunter. If he needed something to chase, Bickslow could most certainly provide. He had gotten what he needed so far, namely the man's attention.

“Fine”, he shrugged and walked back into the crowd.

He didn't need to turn around to know that the orange eyes were still following him. He was the blonde's type aright, no matter what the man claimed.

Pulling himself up on one of the platforms, Bickslow made sure to really flex his muscles and keep an elegant form. He had trained acrobatics for several years and definitively knew how to make a showy mount.

He didn't even look back at the blonde, instead flirting with a tall, dark haired man and rolling his hips in all the right ways.

He would show the blonde what he was missing out on. One of the hottest things about a person was attention from others and he was a master at getting it. He would work the guy dancing with him up until he wanted to leave. Either, Bickslow would land with this hot-enough dancing guy, or the dashing blonde would swoop in to assert his territory. Whichever way this went, he was getting laid tonight.

When Bickslow let himself down into the crowd again, the dark haired man did the same, surely about to ask him to leave together. Before he could however, the stunning blonde stood and pushed through the crowd. He grabbed a hold of Bickslow's arm and leaned in to his ear. “One drink”, he stated firmly in his dark, strong voice.

Grinning widely, Bickslow nodded. He followed the guy back to the bar, much to the dark haired man's disappointment.

Since he was playing pray now, he decided to buck a little and didn't sit down in the man's lap as he had done for every other buyer of the night.

The blonde realised his game instantly, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

He ordered the young man a vodka mix, the same he had been drinking all night, and handed it to him without getting anything for himself. “I take it you drink fast”, he teased and Bickslow just smirked back. He keep eye contact as he swept the drink in one go and set the glass back down demonstratively.

“I hope you can hold your liquor”, the blonde said as he motioned for a refill. “Don't you worry about that, Stud”, the younger man stated confidently.

Downing the second drink, he asked again, “So, as for my question. What is it you want? First you blow me off, then you drag me back and order me, not one as you said, but two. I'm getting the impression you don't like to keep to what you say.”

The blonde took a hold of his hips, pulling him close and almost growling into his ear, “I wanna follow you home and fuck you so hard you forget all of your witty lines.”

Bickslow smiled widely at that. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. “How about you take me home to yours and spread me out on your bed instead?”, he suggested in turn.

The blonde looked back at him with slight scepticism. “Forgot to clean your apartment?”, he teased.

Bickslow really wouldn't have minded taking this guy back to his, but a dorm room had its definite disadvantages when it came to fucking. Namely, the thin walls and easily aggravated neighbours. “Almost. I don't live alone”, he told his lay with a sigh.

“Ah. Well, then.”

  
  



	2. What a Night

Laxus usually preferred going to his date's place, so that he could flee if the guy turned out to be annoying, but if his lay for the night didn't have an appropriate place, his own home had to do. It wasn't like he was too fine to throw someone out in the middle of the night if they didn't adhere to his rules.

The guy he had caught this time around was very cheeky. His crazy black and blue hairstyle and the facial tattoo gave him an incredibly confident air. He was practically begging to be ruined, to have that smirk wiped off his face and replaced with a needy expression.

Laxus loved it when there was a little fight to be had. Not literally, but in the form of a verbal back and forth game. Simply put, he appreciated sass in his partners. It made it so much more fun to strip the man of his composure, to leave him shaking.

“Shoes off”, he ordered at the door and his visitor followed the instructions without complaint, leaving the sneakers by the shoe rack.

The walk back through the night had left the man a little chilled. His skin was cold, a hint of goosebumps visible, and his nipples were hard. It was a pretty look on the younger lad. Laxus really didn't understand why he hadn't brought a fucking jacket along, but he didn't really care either. If the guy caught a cold, that was his problem.

Teenagers, always so silly.

This one could be an adult already, eighteen or nineteen, but Laxus wasn't quite sure. Not that it mattered much. The age of consent was sixteen and he was fairly confident the guy was at least that. He at least looked the part and he clearly wanted it badly, so who cares what some suits in Crocus happened to find appropriate?

Turning away, Laxus slowly stalked into the living room, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. The younger man was right behind him, following him like a lost puppy. Nudging the door to his bedroom open with a foot, Laxus shed the clothing article entirely and tossed it onto a chair. He made sure to flex his muscles in the movement to impress a little.

“What do I call you, Stud?”, the other asked and he looked back at his lay. Sadly, he didn't seem very riled up so far. Maybe he did this a lot, had seen this kind of show before. Maybe Laxus wasn't even among the most impressive men he had been with so far.

This guy was definitively the most daring one Laxus had been with in a long time. The teen had interrupted with such confidence, had danced shamelessly, flirted with everyone in sight, and shown absolutely zero hesitance when approaching him, when asking him to go home together.

“My name's Laxus”, he simply answered.

“Bickslow”, the black and blue haired man introduced himself in turn.

He stepped into the bedroom itself and smirked, “Now that we know another, lets play.” Placing a hand on the blonde's side, he urged the man backwards, and Laxus followed his lead.

Laxus Dreyar never followed anyone's lead, but this young lad had spunk. He was curious to see what the man had in mind for them. If he didn't like it, he'd make that clear soon enough.

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, he watched the black and blue haired man elegantly drop to his knees before him. Oh yes, this, he could definitively agree with. Leaning back on his hands, he watched the black nail polish decorated fingers reach for his trousers, unbuttoning them and pulling the zipper down.

Running his fingers along the straining erection through the thin cloth of the blonde's boxershorts, Bickslow smirked mischievously. He was being very playful, pressing his thumb down as he reached the head to get a small exhale out of the bulky blonde.

Picking up on every tiny change in the other's breathing, he kept toying around a little. He loved seeing someone this impressive, this masculine, hot for him. He relished in it, let it give his ego a boost beyond what any verbal compliments could manage.

First when he was absolutely sure the blonde had to restrain himself not to give a sound or buck, to give some kind of indication he was eager, did he finally pull the man's clothes out of the way, tugging it all down his strong thighs. This guy surely never skipped leg day, or any day at the gym for that matter.

Slowly, Bickslow ran his hand up the exposed length and shot his lay a satisfied grin. Licking his lips, he leaned in. He ran his tongue up the underside of the blonde's cock slowly, savouring the raw arousal evident in those stormy orange eyes.

The last time he had someone this well built was surely six months ago already. Technically, that wasn't a whole lot considering just how muscular this blonde was compared to most guys, but by Bickslow's standards it was equivalent to at least two eternities.

Laxus seemed to know his appeal all too well. Bickslow hadn't missed the way he flexed when he took his shirt off. He had seen that kind of display a million times, but this guy could pull it off beautifully. The swirling tattoo that went down his chest didn't hurt either.

Wrapping his lips around the erection, he was gratified with a deep moan. It seemed he wasn't the only one eager tonight. Did the blonde enjoy his playfulness? It sure seemed like it.

Laxus ran a hand through the blue tuft of hair on the younger man's head. It really was a rather odd cut, like a Mohawk, but not entirely shaven on the sides. He found it hard to believe anyone other than this guy in particular could pull the look off. It was his crazy confidence and the ink under his skin that did it for him.

The tattoo was just as unique. It was a simplistic black figure, going across the bridge of the teenager's nose and raising its arms over the dark red eyes.

The guy had one hell of a talented tongue. Laxus was usually in full control of himself even when he landed a beauty like this one, but that wet mouth was having him make all kinds of indecent noises.

“Shit. You're doing this a lot, huh?”, he teased and the boy just smirked around him, not bothering to interrupt what he was doing to talk and confirm it. Seems he wasn't all that hard to shut up after all, even with all his witty lines.

The entire thing did annoy Laxus just a tiny bit. It felt absolutely amazing, but the roles they had taken here weren't quite to his liking. He was the one supposed to leave this brat shaking, not the other way around.

Taking a firm hold in the blue hair, he pulled the man off.

Bickslow stuck his tongue out, leaning forward, away from the hand. He either really loved to have his hair pulled or really badly wanted the cock in front of him back in his mouth. Whichever case, it was hot as hell. Laxus was inclined to let him continue.

No.

Tugging the man's head back a little more, the red eyes finally looked back up at him. “I know you're not complaining about this”, the cocky teenager smirked, licking his lips. He knew exactly how good he was.

“You talk too much”, Laxus merely snarled. It was far from his best retort today, but it had to do. Urging the other man back onto his feet, he unbuckled the belt that held those loose trousers up and tugged them down.

Bickslow didn't hesitate to help along and undressed entirely. He had no shame standing naked in the room. He enjoyed the way the orange eyes inspected every inch of him, taking his exposed form in from head to toe.

Running a hand down his upper body, he guided the blonde's gaze, over his chest and down to his hips. The man's eyes followed all the way down until he wrapped his fingers around his own neglected arousal and Laxus's gaze fixed on his cock.

Enjoying the show, but also realising how easily he had been led astray again, Laxus took a hold of the man's wrist, pulling the teen down and into his lap.

Feeling something odd in his hand, he looked down and noticed a deep scar on the joint, just under the ball of his hand. It looked old, but painful when it happened, like the guy had fallen onto something sharp when he was little.

Stroking his thumb over it lightly and feeling the bump in the skin, the blonde wondered, “What's that from?” The teenager's facial expression was a tired one, like he had been asked this question one too many times already. That Laxus had interrupted what they were doing for it surely didn't make it any better, either.

Bringing back a smile to his lips, Bickslow answered, “It's a funny story. One evening, it was none of your damn business.”

That got a laugh out of the blonde. Right, he was prodding where he shouldn't. And Bickslow had found another reason to give him a snarly line, instantly making use of it. “Heh. I like you.”

Entwining one hand in the crazy hair again, he pressed a demanding kiss to the man's lips. They parted without worry, letting him take full control.

Bickslow tasted mostly like alcohol. It was no great surprise. The man had to be drunk, the way he had been going at it the entire night. The guy's composure was a surprise, really. Himself, Laxus was just the slightest bit tipsy. He was a mess when he got drunk, and not in a good way. It wasn't all that to loose your senses either way, so he never really aimed for more than a slight buzz. It spared him a lot of hangovers compared to most he saw out in the clubs and bars.

Letting his other hand slip down, he wrapped it around the younger man's erection and got the exact reaction he wanted. Bickslow moaned into his mouth, the man's hips bucking up into his strong grip at once.

Stroking up the length steadily, he soon left the younger man delirious. Bickslow placed his hands on the blonde's shoulders, holding on to keep himself upright in the man's lap as pleasure robbed his mind. He let his hips do what they wanted, bucking up against the hand.

Missing the man's tongue already, he dived in, kissing his lay eagerly between moans and gasps.

First when he was close did he pull back. “Keep that up and I'll cum”, he warned. If Laxus had a mind to do anything other than give him a handjob, he had better get to it. Not that Bickslow minded either.

The blonde seemed content with the current situation, the orange eyes fixed on him to enjoy his facial expression as he hung on the edge. The man's grip in his hair was never easing, keeping him in place firmly. Laxus was a rather dominant one, wasn't he? That was just another gold star for this night.

Allowing himself to fall, Bickslow groaned as he came, digging his fingers into the strong shoulders as he spilled over the rough hand. Shuddering in satisfaction, he leaned his forehead against the blonde's. “I like your hand.”

“Noted”, Laxus simply stated. He kissed Bickslow again as he waited for the younger man to catch his breath.

After a few greedy inhales, the black and blue haired man smiled at him. “Lie back.”

Laxus raised an eyebrow at that. The other didn't seriously believe he would let himself be taken on his back, did he? Not even with fingers, no way in hell. “I don't bottom.”

Bickslow chuckled and gave a small nod. “Good, 'cause I don't top”, he teased, urging the blonde down physically now.

It was a little bit of a lie. He would top if his lay really wanted it, but it was hardly his favourite. Feeling the movement inside himself was far better than the friction of going in. He'd prefer a mouth or hand for that.

This particular guy, he'd love to have atop himself at some point, but right now he wanted to get to a piece of unfinished business and he was done sitting on the floor for today.

Once the blonde was on his back, he moved off the man's lap and got on his hands and knees to suck the stud off. Taking the man's cock back in, he got no less reaction than the first time around. Laxus wasn't far from his release either now that he had watched the black and blue haired man come undone under his hands.

Working him mercilessly, Bickslow bobbed his head, stroking his hand up with every move. He wasn't about to let the blonde get away with much more restraint than what he had showed just now. By the quickly deepening moans he got to judge, he was on the right path.

It wasn't long before the stud put a hand on his head, hissing between clenched teeth, “I'll come.” He even urged the younger man off a little, but Bickslow was pretty sure the blonde wouldn't object if he stayed put.

Realising the black and blue haired man had no intention of pulling away, Laxus lost all grip and grunted as he unravelled. Spilling in the warm mouth, he was sure he had scored an angel. Not in years had anyone given him this.

When he had control over himself again, he looked down to see the teenager pull off and swallow hard before meeting his eyes. The guy demonstratively licked his lips, smirking confidently.

Laxus didn't even know what to say any more. His entire vocabulary had left him at that naughty, and oh so satisfied expression. For once, he had to admit defeat.

“I thought you'd like it”, Bickslow grinned.

He sat up properly. “Well? Do I get to stay the night or do I have to walk home in the cold?”

Laxus couldn't believe this guy. He was willing to just leave now, after coming here and giving him the blowjob of a century. “You can stay the night if you want. Just get showered first. You've got cum all over yourself”, he answered.

Bickslow looked down over his stomach where some of his semen was drying. “You've got it”, he mused before getting up and disappearing in the bathroom.

Laxus took another deep breath before bothering to sit up. He kicked his trousers and underwear off entirely before going to clean his hand off.

What a night. What a glorious, glorious night.

  


 


	3. Good Morning

Laxus was slightly bewildered when he opened his eyes. He was in his room and the smell of sex was still on the sheets, but his lay from last night was no where to be found.

Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and then glanced around. The door out to the hallway was closed for once. It had definitively not been him that had closed it. He never did. Why would he? He was living alone.

Sighing, he got up and pulled a pair of soft tracksuit bottoms on.

A delicious smell greeted him as he opened the door. Bacon and coffee were involved, no question about it. He gave a small hum.

Had that overconfident maniac made himself at home already? He sure hoped this wasn't going to be one of those annoying mornings where he had to explain to a fuck that he was just that, a lay and nothing more. He doubted it, though.

Dragging his feet, he went looking and sure enough found Bickslow by the stove. The cargos hanging loosely around his hips again, he was frying something. Two plates standing on the counter, the guy at least had the common curtsey to make it breakfast for two.

The man looked over his shoulder with a smile, enjoying the sight of blond bedhair. “Morning Stud. I hope you don't mind. You had a carton of eggs that were about to expire.”

Laxus had no recollection of any eggs, but he never did have a clear picture of what was rolling around his fridge. “I did?”, he asked rhetorically, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

Bickslow chuckled as he scooped scrambled eggs onto the two plates. “Don't use the kitchen much, huh?”, he teased.

“Not exactly, no. I hate cooking.”

Laxus frowned a little as he watched the other wash the frying pan and put it aside to dry. The younger man seemed in perfect shape at 11 in the morning on a Sunday, and that after the party last night. “How are you not hung over after everything you drank?”

The black and blue haired man smirked widely as he turned around with the two plates in hand. “So you were watching me for a long time?”, he asked.

Laxus wasn't about to take the bait. He still didn't have an answer. “What if I was?”, he retorted.

Setting the scrambled eggs down on the table, Bickslow shrugged. “I don't get hung over.” He turned to the cabinets to find forks and added thoughtfully, “Last time I had that was... when I was nine I think.”

The blonde suddenly seemed wide awake, staring at him as though unsure if it was supposed to be a joke or not. It was kinda funny to Bickslow, seeing the gruff man that bewildered. Not that he hadn't expected this kind of reaction.

“You got drunk when you were nine?”, Laxus asked in disbelief and he nodded a little. “Yea. I know, I do not set a good example for the kids.”

Finding the cutlery, he sat down opposite the older man, keeping an innocent smile on his lips. Laxus shook his head. “Gods, you are crazy.”

“And that's why you picked me, isn't it?”, Bickslow smirked. He knew he was crazy, for he had been told exactly that a million times. It was a little tiring to be honest, but this guy at least didn't start lecturing him right away. That was nice.

The blonde just smiled back once he had processed the information. Yea, the man was sure as hell crazy, but in a fun way. “It might have had to do with it”, he admitted.

The scrambled eggs were really good too. Bickslow was more than just a good looking body. He seemed to live for these kinds of moments. Everything about him fit together so perfectly, a package deal too good to be true. Hot, cheeky, good in bed, able to cook and not clingy as far as he had noticed. It almost begged the question where the catch was.

Putting his fork down, Laxus inspected the man again.

The longer they sat here, the more he felt like the man's apparent age was the only thing that didn't fit in. What kind of teenager carried himself with this kind of confidence, had this much experience? But he couldn't possibly be over twenty, could he? “You're out, you dance like a vixen, you don't get hangovers and you can cook. How old are you even?”, he wondered.

“Old enough”, Bickslow shrugged, but Laxus noticed the tiny tension in his shoulders. Clearly, that was a rehearsed answer. “I doubt that”, he prodded.

The black and blue haired man ate the last of his meal and then put the fork down with unnecessary aggression. He clearly didn't appreciate the line of inquiry, the dark red eyes slimming as they looked back at the blonde. “Yet you fucked me”, he hissed.

The way he evaded the question only gave Laxus the more reason to make sure he got his answer. “Sue me. I'm just asking. You are at least sixteen, right?”

Bickslow still didn't seem to like it, though. He again didn't answer, instead going to attack. “If you are so damn concerned about my age, why didn't you ask yesterday, hm, Mr Righteous?”

Shrugging the hissing undertone off, Laxus joked light-heartedly. “Blame it on the alcohol.” He was going to get his answer, whether the teenager liked it or not. He could be really patient if he needed to. It was one thing he had learned in his line of work. There was no way a hothead like Bickslow would be able to match him.

The younger man seemed to realise that as well. Rolling his eyes, he finally gave in with a grumbling sigh. “I'm seventeen. Aright?”

So now Laxus knew that he was in that club despite being underage. Now he knew he had brought home a problem child and hopeless fuck-up. Bickslow was about done here either way. “Is it aright if I grab another shower before you throw me out? My hair looks like shit.” It never obeyed him if he didn't wet it and comb it right away.

“I'm not actually throwing you out”, Laxus said and he raised an eyebrow at the stud. “Not?”

The blonde shook his head. “Nah. You can cook”, he joked. Truthfully, he just wanted another go at the man before they parted ways.

The comment did get him a chuckle. “That's charming you, is it?”, Bickslow teased. He knew that the stereotype of men being unable to cook held at least some truth when it came to his generation. It took a few years after moving out until the necessity of cooking on your own seemed to dawn on people. Boys simply weren't forced to help out as much in the kitchen. Himself, he had learned early on.

Laxus smirked, glad his lay hadn't taken his questioning too badly, that the man was willing to stay a little longer. “Maybe a little. That, and your cute little ass.”

Bickslow gave an odd little laugh. “Gyha. Well, why don't you join this cute little ass in the shower then?”

“I plan to.” Laxus got up and put the plates away.

The teenager leaned back in his chair, eyeing him thoughtfully. “Wanna fuck me?”, he finally asked and the blonde looked back at him with an amused smile. “Because if you do, you will need to give me a few minutes head start. I wanna bareback”, Bickslow added.

It was brilliant how that guy showed zero shame, didn't beat around the bush even for a second. “Just call when you're ready”, Laxus nodded.

With that, Bickslow got up. “Got lube?”

“I'll bring it in”, the blonde stated. He didn't really want the other to prepare entirely on his own. That would take away the fun. He wasn't out for a quick fuck here. They had all day.

Shrugging, the black and blue haired man left the room.

Laxus stretched a little. This was gonna be good. Taking another cup of coffee to wake himself up properly, he turned on some music. He never did like silence in the mornings.

Once he heard the pretty voice call, he swept the last of his drink and made to join the man. He walked over to his bedside table first, picking the silicon based lubricant. He also lost the tracksuit bottoms before appearing in the door.

Bickslow made for a marvellous sight under the running water. His skin was glistening and had reddened from the heat. Smiling a little, the man made a half turn, presenting himself shamelessly. He again ran a hand down his body, this time starting all the way up, moving his hair out of his face and then running the nimble fingers down over his neck before the hand came to the front.

The younger man was hard already and it didn't take Laxus more than the walk over to the shower to match that.

Placing a hand on the hot skin, he urged the man back until he was leaning against the tiled wall. Standing in the warm water now, Laxus gave a sight of relaxation. He dropped the bottle of lube in the shower basket that was hanging in the corner before he came closer and gave his lay a kiss.

Bickslow chuckled against his lips. He could hear faint music coming from beyond the bedroom. “Rock 'n' roll, huh?”

“My favourite”, Laxus shrugged, running his hands down the hot body.

“Good taste in both men and music.”

“Overconfident brat”, the blonde hissed. Then again, Bickslow really did look absolutely stunning.

“I believe myself to have the exact right amount of confidence”, the teen retorted without missing a beat and Laxus shook his head again.

“I'm sure you do.”

Aiming to shut the man up, Laxus kissed him again, running one hand up his inner thigh to tease. It seemed to work well, the teenager closing his eyes and leaning back entirely.

The man reached for his head, running his fingers through the blond hair as he kissed back and urged his hips forward with desire. Laxus felt the man's hard on press against his hip and knew Bickslow could feel him in turn. They were both far too eager, far too needy. It was perfect.

Breaking the kiss, Laxus reached for the lube. He let a generous amount flow onto his fingers while enjoying the way the other's lips kept going, playing along his throat and collarbone in small nips and kisses.

He didn't even have to say anything. Bickslow raised one leg, hooking it around his waist to let him reach around. Bringing his hand behind the other, Laxus carefully prodded for entrance, always watching that pretty face for signs of discomfort.

Bickslow took a deep breath and then exhaled, relaxing his entire body and allowing the finger inside. Making a face, he caused his lay a bit of worry. “Aright?”, Laxus wondered.

The teenager huffed a laugh. “I'm fine. Your hand is still a little cold.”

Meeting the worried orange eyes, he smirked, “Or maybe I'm just too hot.”

The older man clicked his tongue and kissed him harshly. The finger wiggled a little before it retreated and Laxus slowly eased two back in. Unable to remain calm, Bickslow let out a small moan.

He took long steady breaths as he felt the intrusion deeper. “There. Fuck. Right there”, he hissed and the fingers curled, brushing his prostate and sending a jerk up his spine. “Fuck!”

Laxus smirked back at the cursing man. Never had he met someone that instructed him while he fingered them. There seemed to be some kind of common illusion that he could read minds. Bickslow knew exactly what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to say so. Laxus liked that a lot. “Like that?”, he wondered.

Bickslow took a deep breath before letting go of the blond hair. He slid his hands down to the broad shoulders instead. “Like this”, he answered, pressing small circles into the man's skin with his fingers. Laxus copied the motion and his head snapped up in a gasp, meeting the wall with a slight 'thud'.

“God yes!” Finally someone that listened!

He craned his neck, panting as those godly fingers pleasured him. The other's firm body came closer, pressing up against him warmly, and he was sure he had died and gone to heaven. Tilting his head to the right, he exposed his neck and the blonde took the hint at once, running his tongue over the wet skin and suckling it until it bruised.

Bickslow would have rolled his hips against that perfect body to get some more friction, but the stud was keeping him in place with his entire form. Growing desperate far too quickly, Bickslow gave in to the need. He had absolutely no desire to come off as cool-headed or calm. He didn't mind being a needy mess in the least just as long as he got his release. “Fuck me already”, he demanded breathlessly.

Laxus didn't need to be told twice. The way the other man held him close, the black fingernails digging into his skin, and the way he kept rocking his hips in the little space that left him, had the blonde restless already.

Removing his hand, he took a step back to spread the lube over his cock before rinsing the remains off. He needed a steady grip for this next part, not a slippery hand. Even if Bickslow could almost match him in height, that would still force him to bend his knees a fair bit. No one had ever complained about his workaround, so he went for it again.

Taking a firm hold of the younger man's hips, he heaved the guy up and pinned him back against the wall. The black and blue haired man smiled brightly, wrapping those long legs around his waist and slinging his arms over the broad shoulders entirely. That made it a lot easier for Laxus to reach down and line up.

Slowly, he lowered the other down on his cock. And, oh, that felt good. He was sure he gave some kind of moan or grunt, but it was drowned in the guttural moan that rang in his ears. Bickslow held onto him as through trying to squeeze the air out of him.

Holding still for a moment to let the guy adjust, he felt one hand run back up to his hair, taking a tight grip of it like the man hoped it would give him back a little bit of sanity. The huffs against the shell of his ear went straight down to his cock, but he didn't move just yet.

Bickslow didn't have the mind to talk any more. He just gave a small whine and pressed his heels against the back of other man's thighs to get Laxus moving.

Resting his chin against the muscular shoulder, he let himself be swept away in pleasure. The movement inside him, steady deep thrusts, and the friction his cock got where it pressed against the other's body, it was all exactly what he had longed for. This was what he needed to relax, his mind taking happy leaps.

It was all just a little too little to bring him to climax. He would have needed a hand on his cock as well, but he didn't even want it. This was perfect. Not even hunting orgasm, he simply enjoyed the ride, hearing the blonde's dark voice moan into his ear just as he himself was panting his whines against the other man's skin.

The warmth that surrounded them thanks to the hot water only coaxed his muscles to relax more, his breathing harder than it would have been otherwise. The moisture masked any sweat, instantly washing it down the drain.

Sadly, it didn't last forever. While all Bickslow had to do was hang on and enjoy, his lay had a lot more work at hand. The blonde firmed his thrusts, his voice taking to an even deeper pitch. “Fuck, Bickslow, can I?”

The black and blue haired man smiled against the now heated skin of his lay. That the man actually asked. What a teddy bear. He was too good to be true. Nodding a little, he answered equally breathlessly, “Yea.”

He felt the blonde tense, the firm hands holding him so hard it almost hurt. Just a few thrusts later, he growled fiercely, pressing into the younger man's body and trying not to shake too violently was he was still holding the other man up.

Blinking the stars out of his eyes, he let the black and blue haired man down. He caught himself against the wall with both hands, one on either side of the black and blue hair covered head.

Bickslow was smiling brightly, enjoying the debauched expression on the blonde's face, the man's mouth open in a slight 'o' as he still tried to catch his breath. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to the man's jaw. “Come on now, don't leave me hanging.”

Laxus pulled the man away from the wall, turning him around so the slightly chilled back met his chest. Reaching around, he placed one arm across the other's chest, holding him tight and teasing over his nipple. With the other, he got a hold of the younger man's cock, gaining a pleased hiss.

Bickslow leaned back, enjoying the warmth of the other's body and the fact that he was directly under the running water once more. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back as the rough hand stroked down.

Soft lips kissed his cheek, making their way down his neck and to his shoulder, but the sweet caress was almost ignored as he closed in on release. Taking a firm grip of the arm that was wrapped over his chest, he moaned his pleasure in deep breaths until finally the last string snapped and ecstasy washed though him in a wave.

It was lucky Laxus was holding onto him so tightly, for otherwise he would have fallen to his knees. Looking down, he saw white run down the drain and a tired smile formed on his lips. Once he too had his calm back, he stepped away from the blonde and turned around. “Thanks for that”, he teased.

Laxus smirked back satisfied. “I'll leave you to cleaning up.”

  


Once Bickslow got out of the shower, he towelled off, ran his hands through his hair to sort it out, and then got dressed.

Walking back into the hallway he saw the blonde sitting on the couch in tracksuit bottoms and t-shirt. Getting up, the man implicitly bid him farewell. “It was nice having you over.”

“Mm. You're fun”, Bickslow agreed happily.

“We should meet up again sometime. Give me your number.”

The teenager didn't actually have his cell on him when he went out. After loosing two, he had started leaving it behind in his room instead. He did know his number by heart, though. Reciting it to the blonde, he watched the man type it into his phone. “And don't hesitate to booty call.”

Laxus looked back at him with a smile. “Don't worry, I won't.”

  



	4. Mr. Dreyar

Bickslow yawned as he reached the top of the stairs and walked into classroom 2A as every morning. And, as per usual, he was the last student in, arriving a minute and a half before the bell would ring. That was a rather good margin for once.

To his surprise, their teacher wasn't there yet, the master's desk empty. They were supposed to get someone new now that Mrs. Connell was on maternity leave. She had been a great teacher. He just hoped the new one would be as nice.

Levy and Gajeel both greeted him happily as he reached his seat. Luckily they had been allowed to pick their seating order themselves this year. Only if you talked during class, you would be moved apart, but no one really ever did that. The consequences were just not worth it.

Fairy Tail Boarding School was incredibly strict. Everyone had to be accounted for, not a single student allowed to ditch even for an hour. On weekdays they could only leave school grounds for a few hours and had to be in their dorms with the doors closed by ten.

The uniform was an absolute must as well. They wouldn't give you detention just cause you didn't tuck your shirt in, but if you dared turn up in casual wear, you could count on it. While he didn't exactly like it, Bickslow didn't particularly mind the clothing either. The black dress trousers were soft and comfortable. Just the shirt wasn't really his style, all white. The only dot of colour was the Fairy Tail emblem stitched onto the breast pocket. It was far too proper.

At least Levy looked good in it. The tiny bluenette simply was more proper to begin with, with her nerdy attitude and her adorable red reading glasses. The only real difference to her casual wear was that she preferred dresses and skirts over pants.

Gajeel on the other hand really couldn't pull the look off. The numerous piercings decorating his face made it clear he wasn't one for shirts and fine dress. The long and dark wild mane he called hair wasn't really helping either. He looked far better in an old torn up leather jacket and some firm boots.

Himself, Bickslow would say he could wear it without looking too out of place. He just looked like one of those really orderly and ambitious people that were merely a bit edgy, not like a problem child forced into a shirt, which would be a more accurate description of the situation. At least school uniforms had that fetish plus for a lot of older men. That made it so much more okay to have to wear one.

Gajeel turned around in his chair to grin at him. “Did you have a good weekend? You were nowhere to be found.”

A bright grin formed on the black and blue haired man's face. “Oh yea. It was good.”

“You were out again, right?”, Levy wondered and he nodded. Before he could get to telling them about his fun night and the absolutely stunning blonde he had hooked up with, though, the bell rung.

On the second, the door to their classroom opened again and their new teacher strode in. Bickslow's jaw hit the floor. He could not fucking believe it. There was just no way, no way in hell.

In black dress trousers, a fine shirt and perfectly bound tie stood no other than his lay from the night before. He came up with a million reasons the man might be here other than the obvious, but the blonde soon disproved him, putting a brown briefcase down on the master's desk.

He turned to the class at large and with his firm, dark voice greeted, “Good morning class. I will be your...” The man's breath got stuck in his throat as he spotted a far too familiar face by the windows in the back.

Bickslow could see the shock in the orange eyes. This obviously came as just as much of a surprise to the other man, his shoulders drawing up a little as he tensed.

Sighing, Bickslow let his head fall to the desk. If only he could instant switch schools or something. Of-fucking-course it had been too good to be true. There had to be something, hadn't there? There was always something.

This was like that time he fucked a smoking hot thirty-year-old in an alley behind the club they met in. The guy had been a freaking god, but of course he had a boyfriend already, one he was evidently cheating on. And this blond god was a teacher, his teacher of all. Fuck. Why did this kind of thing always happen to him?

The blond man cleared his throat awkwardly and continued in a slightly bewildered tone, “...new teacher.” Turning to the blackboard, he picked a piece of chalk up and wrote his name down. “My name is Laxus Dreyar. That is Mr. Dreyar for you lot.”

Bickslow glanced at the man again. Damn, he looked good in those clothes. He really looked like a man of authority. The lightning shaped scar on his face clashed with the fine attire perfectly. Had they just been walking past another in the street, he would have guessed businessman with a rough back story, like in the films. Incredibly hot.

Then again, that man probably looked good in just about anything. He was that kind of bastard, fitting well in baggy as well as tight clothes. The best look on him still had to be naked, though. God, that was so wrong. This was his fucking teacher.

Rubbing a hand over his forehead, Bickslow sat up properly and rested his head on a hand. Would Laxus be any good? He seemed a bit stoic for a teacher. Maybe he would be that super strict and obnoxious type. He just hoped the man wouldn't treat him differently.

Laxus turned back to his class. “I am twenty-four, grew up in Magnolia Town and have been working as teacher for a little over two years so far”, he told them.

“Now you know me, but I don't know anything about you. I want you all to introduce yourselves shortly to me.” Walking around the desk, he leaned back against it instead of taking a seat behind it as most would have, making him seem more friendly and approachable. Motioning to the kid sitting to the left in the very first row, Laxus prompted them to begin.

Each and every student introduced himself shortly. Bickslow wasn't paying attention to any of it. He knew these people, or well, those that he wanted to or had to know. He was instead trying to figure out what to say in the meantime.

Usually, this would come naturally to him, but what the hell should he say to introduce himself to a man he had spent his Sunday with, being fucked against the wall in the guy's shower? He had only this morning gotten rid of the last of the man's cum. Now that would have been a helpful thing to learn in school, 'Awkward situations 101'.

The orange eyes found him in the back and he made a face. Standing up, he cleared his throat. “I'm Bickslow. I…” Fuck he was stuck. He never wavered like this. What the hell was wrong with him? And did Laxus have to stare at him like that? All the other pairs of eyes he could well ignore, but that stormy look just reminded him of their time together, of the perfect pleasure they had shared.

“...am seventeen.” Urgh, did he have to bring that up? Most here were sixteen, or fifteen if they hadn't had their birthday yet. Being his teacher now, Laxus had to be aware that he had to repeat a year once. Great! This was going just great. He was making a brilliant first impression, or well, second impression.

“And I...” Come on, just say something boring and normal to get it over with. “...like music.” Oh god how lame. Fuck! He sat down, hoping he would be able to hide or something.

Laxus nodded a little and went on to the next, acting like nothing was out of order. Gajeel on the other hand had definitively noticed the odd behaviour. He glanced back at his friend with raised eyebrows, but Bickslow ignored him. He was busy sinking into the ground.

What the hell else had he been supposed to say, though? 'Hi, nice to see you again Stud. As you know, I'm Bickslow and I love to fuck around, something you've had the pleasure of experiencing first hand.' Shit! If anyone found out, he would never live it down.

Once the introductions were through, Laxus nodded at them. “Now for the boring part. I need to see where you're at with maths. The other subjects I feel are easier to assess over time, but mathematics is a subject that requires me to set the right start. So, in order to do the best I can for you, I want you to write a little test right now. It will not be included in your grades, but please do your best so that I can make a fair assessment.”

A repressed sigh went through the room. Not this again. Ignoring the attitude, Laxus started handing the test out.

Reaching Bickslow's desk, he didn't even look at the student and Bickslow couldn't help but feel just a little pissed. He was right fucking here. Was that bastard suddenly too timid to at least acknowledge that? He wasn't going to disappear into thin air just because he was being ignored.

Returning to he master's desk, Laxus sat down and checked his wristwatch. “Half an hour from now.”

Glaring at the orange eyed man, Bickslow turned his paper over. He waited until the stormy eyes looked up and met his. He couldn't read the emotion lingering in them at all, but there was definitively worry and a fair amount of stress in the mix. Picking his pen up, he got to the test before him instead.

Laxus took a measured breath as the black and blue haired man finally looked down and got to his work. He looked stern, angry even. What the hell did he expect Laxus to do exactly? It wasn't like he could go back in time and make sure to ask the vixen rolling his hips for him if he was a student at Fairy Tail before he made his advance.

Fucking crap. If he had known, he would never have done any of that. Even if he had thought about the possibility first, the guy was seventeen and thus not actually supposed to be in grade 2. Out of all the fucking seventeen-year-olds in the city of Hargeon, he had to come across the one that was in his class.

And the teenager looked far too good in that uniform. It was obvious he had picked a shirt one size too big on purpose, rolling the sleeves once and only tucking it in half way to create that cocky bad boy look. Once he got into third grade and had to wear a tie, Laxus would be surprised if he didn't tie it way too loosely. He would wear it just a little askew, guaranteed.

Definitely the wrong line of thought for a teacher, he knew.

Looking down at his watch again, he realised only five minutes had passed. This was going to be one long day.

  


During lunch, he had to get back to the reception to check out the new books his class was supposed to read for languages, but once school was over, he took heart. “Bickslow, would you stay a moment?”

The black and blue haired man stopped on his way out, giving his friends a look to keep going.

Laxus glanced at the two students. One was tall and broad, looking like definite trouble. It was about what the blonde would have suspected Bickslow's friends would look like, him having a facial tattoo at his age, but the other was a tiny and innocent looking bluenette, very out of place beside the muscular and heavily pierced wild man.

When the last person had left, Laxus got up and closed the door. He turned around to see a dead bored expression on the other. It was too much, obviously intentional. Walking over to the student, he hissed, “You're a student here?” He had really intended to sound calm, but it came out all wrong.

Bickslow crossed his arms over his chest, grumbling back, “Yes, Sherlock. You are quite observant.”

“Fucking hell. I can't believe this”, Laxus sighed, but that seemed to be the exactly wrong thing to say. Somehow, Bickslow took it as an attack on his person.

He clicked his tongue before retorting with the most spiteful voice he could muster, “Do you think I had you pegged you for a teacher? Shit, you were in leather trousers and only half buttoned lilac shirt. The fuck does a teacher do at a gay club on a Saturday evening, picking up a teenager?”

Laxus was pretty sure the picking up had been the other way around, but he didn't think it helpful to argue that point right now. “No one can know about this. I could loose my job or worse.”

The teenager rolled his eyes, like he had said the most obvious and obnoxious thing possible. “Don't worry. I'm not eager to be known as the guy that slept with his teacher.”

He glared back at his teacher for another moment. “That all?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose lightly, Laxus sighed, “Yea. That's all.”

Stomping over to the door, Bickslow opened it and headed out.

Gajeel and Levy stood right outside, waiting for him. He quickly forced his scowl away and smiled as brightly as ever. “What did he want?”, the dark haired man asked.

“You know”, he evaded the question and Gajeel raised an eyebrow at him.

He was about to protest, that no, he really didn't, when Levy came to his rescue. “So, how was your weekend? You said it was good?”

Bickslow gave a slight nod. “Ah, well, yea, it was good. I stayed at some guy's place until Sunday afternoon” He wasn't really in the mood to give anyone the details of his night, fucking a teacher. It had been good, amazing even, but that only made it worse.

He had stayed not just the night, he had spent Sunday noon with the guy. It hadn't just been a rough quicky for the road either. They had taken their time with it, making out under the hot water like time stood still for them. Shit, he had sucked his teacher off, eagerly too.

“Woah, you were with just one guy for more than a night? Did you fall in love or something?”, the heavily pierced teenager joked and he gave a forced chuckle. “Yea right.”

Maybe a just a little.

Forcing the thoughts away for now, he smiled, “Lets practice.”

  



	5. Psychologist

Bickslow got through the week without any further scandals at least. He ignored his teacher best he could during the lessons and made sure to spend his afternoons with his friends, hanging out in the secondary music room to practice. Anything to distract himself.

The three of them had formed somewhat of a student band last year. They didn't have a name or anything, but Gajeel had written a few tunes of his own, so they didn't only play covers. Sometimes they would perform in the auditorium. It had been equipped with new speakers and everything when the school orchestra got their grant money from the state. Apparently only classical music was worth funding. But hey, they indirectly got a slice of the cake this way.

It was always good fun when they practised, but it wasn't like they could go on all day long.

Levy definitively didn't want to spend all her time in the small room they had been given by the school. She wanted to do homework and Gajeel was forced to learn with her. She was such an adorable tiny nerd. She always had an iron grip on her boyfriend and his grades, but her attempts to get Bickslow along too had failed so far. He had never given a damn about school and he wasn't about to start now.

Instead he found himself watching some repetitive series in the evenings, enjoying a few beers while slouching on his bed. At least they didn't search the rooms around here. It was a bit surprising, considering how strict the school was with just about everything else.

Once Friday came along, he was glad to get off school grounds.

Fleeing as soon as he could manage, he tossed his school uniform onto the bed and pulled on a pair of baggy trousers and a tank top instead. Not willing to take a chance today, he took some money along, more than just a few jewels for an entrance fee.

Since it would be some hours until the clubs even opened, he headed for a bar instead.

Sitting down at a table by the windows, he ordered himself a beer. Asking for anything stronger this early in the day might cause them to ask his age. That was better avoided since he didn't have any id to back a lie up.

He watched people pass by, going about their daily lives. Many left work right about now. The rush hour wasn’t at its worst in these parts but it was considerable nonetheless.

What looked like a group of colleagues came in to unwind after a long day, sitting by the bar and watching some football game. It wasn't really interesting to Bickslow, but having little else to do, he headed over to the group and joined in, simply cheering for whatever team this group seemed to endorse.

It turned out to be a pretty good time. One of the women even started flirting with him a little. Now part of the adult group, he had an easy time ordering some vodka. The company also allowed him to wait a little longer without getting bored out of his mind. It was always a little dead in the clubs for the first hour or so.

Once he did leave, the flirtatious woman gave him her number and he smiled and accepted. First when he was out the door did he toss it. Not that he had anything against women, but he only looked for them in his own age range. The woman in there looked to be in her thirties and he sadly had zero interest in a cougars. Had he been interested, he would have had a whole bunch of other numbers to call by now. Apparently a young bad boy was very desirable to most people, be it men or women, young or old. Hadn't he managed to draw some good cards, eh?

Heading into the club, he was glad to find the party in full roll already. Letting loose, he danced and let the strenuous week roll of his shoulders. Feeling someone take his hips, he smiled brightly, raising his arms over his head.

Hell yea. This was life. This was what it was all about.

He turned around, coming face to face with a pretty young man. He was adorable, far too adorable. The man smiled at him brightly, moving his head a little to swing a strand of blond hair out of his face before coming closer in the crowd. Bickslow gave it a try, but the other was being way too coy and giggly. It really wasn't his thing.

Giving the guy a friendly clap on the shoulder, he left. Making his way to the bar, he scoped for someone to pay for another drink instead. There were a few candidates, but none of them quite his type. The ones he would have considered going home with were clearly not done for the day yet.

As he stood there and thought, someone put a hand on his shoulder. “Hello again.”

The man was just past forty and very average looking. The well kept black hair and boring plain clothes said steady job and perhaps a wife at home to cheat on. That, or he was closeted. At least in Bickslow's experience, those were the two most common reasons not to bother dressing up even a tiny bit before going out. To seem plain and not draw attention to oneself wasn't exactly the most effective way to get laid around here. That the man didn't have a wedding ring on didn't really tell him anything. Most weren't dumb enough to keep it on if they intended to cheat.

“Unless you're buying, I'm not interested.”

The man gave a small forced smile. “Right. You don't remember me. Why would you?”

“Oh, sorry. Have we met? I see a lot of people in places like these and I'm not all that good with remembering them”, Bickslow apologised half-heartedly. He mostly did because he didn't have an answer yet. Was he going to get a drink or not?

“It's fine. I was just sitting at the bar here when you came up to me and asked for a drink last week.”

“Yea, that still doesn't really help me pinpoint it.” He had been in around ten to twelve laps that evening. No way he'd remember all of them, or any of them, really.

“Tomas”, the man tried and he shook his head.

“You kept calling me Didn't”

That caused Bickslow to giggle a little. That guy, he remembered. “Oh, right. You're the nice guy. The nice, kinda insecure guy.”

The man scratched his head a little. “Yea, I guess. Sorry about that.”

What a timid man. Tilting his head to the right a little, Bickslow asked again, “So... are you buying?”

Tomas shrugged a little. “Sure. Why not?”

Sitting down at the bar, he ordered and Bickslow took a seat beside him. Since this guy already seemed to like him, he didn't bother charming the man further. He wasn't really in the mood to. Everything just felt a little out of place today, as it did sometimes. He couldn't really explain it. Everything was just kind of dulled down somehow.

Picking his glass up, he swept it in one go and gave the man an expectant look. It gained him a small amused huff and another drink. “When did I become a sugar daddy?”

Bickslow raised an eyebrow at that. What an odd statement. The man clearly had no idea what that mostly entailed. Maybe he just wanted to be one. It wasn't like that would be the first time Bickslow had this offer on the table.

Feeling tired, he looked the man up and down once more. He really was aright. Had he been in some better clothes, he might even have been hot. The plain dress just didn't really cut it here under the dancing lights.

The thought of going around looking for something better wasn't appealing to him at all right now. It would just be going through the motions either way. Deciding to be lazy today, he mused, “Nah, you're not that. I don't fuck sugar daddies.”

The black haired man looked back at him baffled. “You mean, you would? With me?”

“If you have a place”, Bickslow shrugged.

“We could go to a hotel. I mean, if you really want to”, the man stuttered and he gave a slight sigh. So a cheater then. Whatever. It wasn't his marriage that was being fucked up. And it wasn't like it was his fault that the man was unfaithful either. That was a problem between this guy and his partner.

“I'd love to.”

  


Going outside with the man, he stretched a little and wondered, “Do you smoke by any chance?” Tomas shook his head and he sighed. He didn't have his pack with him. “Oh well, whatever. Lets go.”

Following the dark haired man into a nearby hotel, he waited for the guy to check them in and then headed into the small orderly room, flopping down on the bed.

He watched the other man take his shoes off and hang his jacket aside. Sitting up, he pulled his sneakers off too before scooting up on the bed.

The black haired man stood by the door awkwardly. Now seeing the guy in proper light, Bickslow could confirm, he really wasn't what one would call handsome. But he was well groomed at least and he was nice. That was way more important. The hottest stud in the world wasn't someone Bickslow would like to share a bed with if he was an asshole, but this guy was nice, calm and considerate. And shy as hell apparently.

He didn't do this a whole lot, now did he? Was he even really sure that he wanted to? Bickslow sure as hell hoped so. He would be pretty annoyed if he had to leave here empty handed today. It wasn't a good day and this lay is what would make it at least endurable.

Giving the man an impatient look, he prompted, “Well?”

Tomas approached slowly, tentatively lying down on the bed beside him and then leaning over him lightly. He hesitated another moment before leaning in to kiss the teenager.

Not in the mood for some kind of romantic 'look me in the eyes' sex, Bickslow took a hold of the black hair and pulled the man down, kissing him hungrily to set the right tone for tonight. He didn't taste like alcohol at all, but of some form of mint. Had he seriously bothered to freshen up his breath on the way here? How adorable.

At least he caught on quickly, crawling over the black and blue haired man more and running his hands under the tank top. Bickslow arched up and pulled it off before urging the other's plain t-shirt up as well.

The other's upper body was nothing to complain about. He was moderately hairy, moderately fit. Everything about him was freaking regular.

Reaching down at once, Bickslow unbuttoned the man's blue jeans. Pulling the zipper down, he reached under the clothes, finding the man's half hard cock and giving it a stroke.

“Oh!” The man gasped aloud.

Feeling the man's erection grow under his fingers, Bickslow kissed him again. The man moaned against his lips, whining even. He really needed it bad, didn't he? Feeling a little moisture on his hand, the teenager smirked confidently.

To his dismay, the other man soon tensed up, his eyes closing and his lips forming a thin line. The furrowed eyebrows and repressed small huffs were such an obvious sign of discomfort. Stilling his hand, Bickslow made sure to use an emphatic voice. “What's wrong?”

'Please don't fucking regret this now.'

The other man opened his eyes and looked down at him with unsure eyes. “You're... are you maybe… going through something?”

That was definitively not what Bickslow had expected to hear. “What?”

The black haired man took a measured breath, clearly finding it a little hard to think straight in this situation. “I'm a psychologist. Analysing everyone's behaviour is kind of an occupational illness for me. Can't help it. You just seem kinda distant and… well”, he almost apologised.

Great. The guy's reason for interrupting this was not that he regretted getting to this point, but that he thought he was somehow using Bickslow. God he hated it when people tiptoed around him. The reason he wasn't exactly cheery was very simple. “There is just someone I couldn't have.” Not that it was this guy's business, but he wanted to get on with it and had a feeling the man would insist on a believable answer.

“I see. So now you're going out for distraction sex”, the man nodded in understanding and he nodded back. “Precisely.”

“That's not really the healthiest way to deal with it.”

'Oh yes, please lecture me. That's why I'm here right now', Bickslow thought irritably. “At least it fucking works.”

Sighing, he met the older man's eyes. “Look, are we going to keep going or not?” Because if not, he was out of here.

The other man hesitated further, but didn't pull back either.

Grabbing a hold of the black hair again, Bickslow pulled him down and kissed him open mouthed, picking his hand movement back up. That seemed to quench any protest at least.

Tomas ever so lightly rocked with the motion, allowing himself to get lost in the pleasure the younger man offered. Craning his neck, he huffed a deep moan and then whined, his head falling to rest on the teenager's shoulder.

Bickslow felt the warm pulses of fluid run into his hand. That was quick. Not that he complained. Time to get his share of the deal.

Pulling his hand out from under the man's clothes, he stroked the cum off on the sheets beside them.

He waited until Tomas was in control of himself again, the man sitting up a little and looking back at him with an almost embarrassed facial expression.

Bickslow wasn't the kind that would comment on his lack of restraint. It was fine by him. Long lasting sex was overrated, really. As long as you got your kicks, it didn't matter if it took you a minute or an hour to do so.

Reaching for his own belt, he unbuckled it to get this show on the road. Bucking up a little, he pushed his clothes down just enough to get his cock free.

The other man eyed it curiously, meeting his eyes again before reaching down and experimentally moving his hand a little. Bickslow relaxed, enjoying the warm hand caressing him. “Come on.”

Tomas firmed his grip, stroking up, and he gave an appreciative hum.

This wasn't even fucking close to what he had last weekend, but it felt good nonetheless. Closing his eyes, he just felt, focusing on the pleasure while his mind took off to fantasy land. It irritated him a bit that his arsenal of sexy memories and hot thoughts had been invaded by blond air, a mysterious scar, muscle, and a far too familiar dark voice, but those were currently also some of his most potent materials.

Tomas shifted over him and he felt a pair of soft lips on his cheek. Not really loving it, he found the man's soft hair with his hand again and pushed the guy down a little. Apparently, that had been interpreted a little better than he had intended. The other man kissed down his stomach hastily before a warm moisture engulfed his cock.

Moaning, he opened his eyes to see the older man quickly avoiding his gaze. That was a pretty look on him, cock in mouth and a slight blush on his cheeks. That fit his coy demeanour in some odd way. Stroking through the dark locks, Bickslow smiled a little.

Wanting to see the other really embarrassed, he teased confidently, “Now that's a pretty picture. Do you like my cock in your mouth? Does it taste good?”

The blush on the other man's face turned several shades deeper and he moved up, but Bickslow held him down firmly. Unless the other showed a sign of disliking it, he was going to play this little game now.

“Don't pull off, suck it. You seem so eager to.”

Oh, the look in those brown eyes. There was raw lust dancing in them, raw lust and embarrassment. He had found himself a submissive, hadn't he? Had he know that from the start, he'd have been so much meaner. This guy's loss that he didn't speak up sooner.

The man closed his eyes shyly before starting to bob his head. Bickslow firmed his hold on the dark hair, leading the other man in his movement, pushing the guy down on his cock and then pulling him back up. Not only did it give him a far better rhythm, the other clearly loved it too, giving a few slight moans around his cock.

Getting himself to the edge, Bickslow stopped before he ran over it. “Close”, he hissed and Tomas looked up at him with an almost pleading expression. He wanted to be asked to take it, didn't he?

“Are you going to take it all?”, Bickslow asked demandingly and he gave a slight nod.

With that, the teenager continued. He tensed his legs, biting together hard as he forced the other down in a slightly quicker pace. Bucking up lightly, he let out a moan or two before he finally found his release, spilling in the warm mouth with a slight shudder.

Letting go of the black hair, he watched the older man pull off and make a face. “Just spit it out”, he sniggered and Tomas leaned down, away from him, so he wouldn't see how the man spat the white fluid onto the sheets with a probably highly displeased facial expression.

Bickslow would definitively not want to work at a hotel, especially not one close to the queer clubs.

Sighing in content, he rearranged his clothes and sat up, glancing around for his top.

Tomas looked back at him with curious and keen eyes, like he was expecting something more. Bickslow was done, though. “Well, that was nice”, he merely acknowledged their moment.

Finding the top had fallen to the floor, he picked it up and pulled it on before starting to put his shoes back on. “You're leaving right away?”, the older man asked and he nodded. Seems he had disappointed someone here tonight.

“Yea. I gotta get going”, he lied blatantly.

“Oh. I see”, Tomas nodded. He thought for a moment. “When can I see you again?”

Oh no, not one of those. 'When' instead of just 'Can I?', what a bother. Shrugging a little, Bickslow simply hurried up as he tied the trainers. Getting up, he stopped shortly before the mirror that hung in the hall and ran a hand through his hair to sort a small snarl out. He turned back to the man sitting topless on the hotel room bed like a sad kitten left in the rain and sighed. “Hey, it was just a fuck. I promised nothing more.”

Tomas nodded, making an effort to look calm and disinterested. “Sure. Yea. That's cool.” It didn't go quite his way, but Bickslow was relieved the man accepted it at least. He knew the situation from the other man's perspective too, when you were with someone you loved in bed and he just didn't wanna meet up again. It sucked, but hey, there was always the next bloke.

“See you around Tomas. Next time I will remember your name at least”, he joked.

With that, he turned and left.

Phew it felt good to get laid. He felt like new, invigorated. Right now, life could throw anything his way. He'd deal with it just fine. A confident smirk and that particular afterglow satisfaction on his face, he headed home.

  



	6. Blame It On the Alcohol

Laxus had been working at Fairy Tail for a mere three weeks when he was asked to oversee a party on Saturday evening. It was strictly speaking not a work day for him, but the overtime pay was good and it wasn't like he had much else to do.

His job was simple. Stand in the auditorium while the students hold a concert, look scary and make sure no one starts a fight or gets drunk on campus. The teens were allowed light beer and cider for this event, but that was as far as the rules could be stretched. Anything else and they would have the state on their backs for underage drinking.

Entering the huge hall, he was a little impressed. He had been here before when he was lead around by the headmaster, but now the room really lived. A drum kit, lights, speakers, two microphones, it might as well have been a professionally arranged concert. These kids knew what they were doing.

He had heard that there were a lot of different clubs at this school and that they organised their own entertainment, from science and tech fares over sport events to art galleries and concerts like tonight, but to think they were this organised.

The different groups working around the scene even had t-shirts with their club names and logo on them. There was a man with a stage light on the back and a girl with a camera, both in hand and on her t-shirt. A few had bright orange hoodies on instead, 'PE, as in Party' written across the back in bold black letters, whatever kind of joke that was supposed to be.

The orange dressed students were moving the seats of the first couple of rows away to create space for people to stand. The man with a stage light on the back was checking, quite obviously, the lights. He had a small laptop in hand, pressing buttons and looking up to confirm that the lights did what he wanted them to. The girl with a camera in hand wasn't doing much so far, but Laxus guessed she was just there to document the event.

No wonder Fairy Tail was sometimes requested to help out with events happening in the city. He had thought that was just some feel good PR practice, but no, these students were as competent as any professional. When he took his secondary education, the most impressive club they had was a group of chess players that managed to get into the national championships and lost on the first day there.

He watched the back and forth with interest. Seems he had stumbled in on their sound check. The wild looking student from his class, Gajeel, was standing on stage, tuning a steel guitar. If that guy was here, Bickslow was probably not far either. He wondered what that man was up to. Did he know how to use the mixing console perhaps? No one was sitting at it so far.

“So you're our chaperon, eh?”

Speaking of the devil, Bickslow stood right beside him. “Yea. So behave”, he teased.

“Or else what?”, Bickslow retorted and he couldn't help but smile a little. Thank god they could joke again at least. The past weeks really had normalised things between them.

Looking back at his student, he saw the man held a guitar in hand as well. “You're in the band?”, he more stated than asked and a giggle left the younger man.

“Again, an incredible deduction. How do you do that?”

“Very funny, Watson.”

He watched the black and blue haired man walk across the room and join his friend on the wooden stage. It was a surprise to say the least. He wondered what kind of concert this would be, who the other band members were. Probably Gajeel at least. Was this band popular around campus at all? He would just have to wait and see.

  


When the auditorium started filling with people, he retreated into a corner. He wasn't here to interfere after all, unless absolutely necessary. As far as he had heard, there was rarely any real trouble. That was one of the reasons he had wanted to work at this particular school. It was calm, little drama.

That point, he had kind of messed up before even starting, though.

Getting himself a soda, he leaned back against the wall. At least around the students, he could set a good example by not picking an alcoholic beverage. No need to let anyone else find out he wasn't a saint. That one student knew it was bad enough.

Looking up as he heard cheering, he saw Bickslow, Gajeel, and Levy hop up on the auditorium stage. The small bluenette took a seat at the drums and Laxus raised his eyebrows. He hadn't seen that one coming. Curious, he observed as they began.

As if his troubling student wasn't perfect enough already, the band he was in played rock. He was now convinced that the universe was out to mock him, placing this ridiculously brilliant guy right in front of his nose, yet keeping him out of reach.

If at all possible, Bickslow looked even better up there than he did dancing. Standing in olive cargos, boots and no top, he let the small guitar pick dance over the strings. The dark red eyes looked out over the crowd and a confident, genuinely happy grin was on his lips. He was in the zone, glowing with pride.

All three of them were quite good. They had to have played together for a while. Levy surprised behind the large drum kit. It was still considered a 'male instrument', but that only made it look even more impressive when a tiny an innocent looking girl pulled it off perfectly, proving the stereotype wrong.

Bickslow took a step to the front of the stage, going for the microphone. He began to sing and Laxus had to remind himself to breathe. He really wasn't the groupie type, but damn, that pretty voice was even better when the teenager controlled it in song.

Gajeel too sang, backing his friend up with a far deeper voice. The heavily pierced man definitively had the right look for a rock band. It had to be impossible for that guy to get through a metal detector without being searched.

To start with, they played a bunch of covers, but Gajeel playfully promised a few originals would come along as well. That clearly entailed something, but Laxus wasn't quite sure what yet. The other students seemed to know what, a few laughs and hoots being heard.

Nodding his head lightly to the music, Laxus enjoyed the concert. The attending teenagers were either right by the stage, loving the show, or further back, not doing much other than mingling. Some even danced. One couple pulled off some kind of lindy hop on the sidelines, gaining a small audience of their own.

When the next song came on, Laxus looked back to the stage. It was familiar, but he had to think for a moment before realising they were going for a cover of AC/DC's _Touch Too Much._ He smiled. It was one hell of a song.

When Bickslow sang, the blonde was confused for a moment, but soon understood that it wasn't the version that had gotten famous. No, the band was playing the far more explicit, early version of the song.

With the stage lights in his face and the otherwise dimmer room, Bickslow ought to be fairly blinded, but the dark red eyes still managed to find Laxus in the back.

“ _Now I'm bein' sucked on  
Oh, it's a sin!”_

Laxus looked away. That look in the other's eyes called up far too detailed memories. Was that guy serious? Looking right at his teacher as he sang something like that, what a jackass. He was playing with fire, and Laxus was pretty sure he was fully aware of it too.

“ _Promise you everything  
Down on my bended knees”_

Fucking hell. He could almost see the younger man sitting there in front of him again, keeling on the floor between his legs. He could almost feel his hand tangled in the soft hair, holding the teenager back. The imagery of the younger man trying to come closer to suck him off despite the hand pulling his hair, that talented tongue sticking out lewdly, was one he would probably never get rid of again.

He shook the thought away.

It didn't get any better when they covered _Love Hungry Man_ and then went on to far more deprived lyrics of their own. Bickslow didn't hold back either, singing like he was having the fuck of his life right there in front of everyone, craning his neck and arching his back, hips shifting as he felt the music, let what he sang play out in his mind.

Laxus simply tried not to get eye contact again as he stood there in his corner, heart beating far too hard in his chest and his body not agreeing with him in the least. Oh indeed, it considered this to be a perfect trail of thought to pursue.

Why not imagine every single thing the teenager was singing about? Lets keep thinking about what might be going through the young man's head as he stood up there, closing his eyes and singing about heavy breaths, hands running down his body to please. Why not add the idea that he might be the one doing that to the black and blue haired man? Great idea, truly.

Had he know it would turn out like this, he would have refused to play chaperon tonight. Was he ever going to catch up with the fact they weren't meant to be or would the next two years be like this? Would he constantly desire the cocky student?

He sure hoped not. This could become hard to handle in the long run.

  


Once the gig was over, the students picked the rest of the drinks off the tables, taking them along as they strolled away. Laxus wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing, but he didn't think it would be a real problem either. Not even the freshmen would manage to get drunk on those kinds of light beverages, especially not in such limited amounts. Ignoring it, he tossed his empty soda can.

Since it was late now, he would have to lock up once everyone was out. Watching the students clean up, he decided to help out a little to get it over with and get home a little quicker. That he ended up placing back the last chairs with only Bickslow left in the room hadn't quite been the plan, but apparently the black and blue haired man was rather helpful when it came to this kind of thing, excusing his friends early and taking the job upon himself.

Working in silence, they headed past another over and over again with the black seats in hand. Bickslow didn't meet his eyes at any point, but Laxus couldn't help notice the dark red eyes following him whenever he wasn't looking right at the other. It unnerved him slightly that he didn't know just what went on in the teen's head.

Or maybe it were his own thoughts that made him uneasy. Whichever the case, he hurried to get the job done.

Once all rows were complete again, he stretched his back lightly.

He looked around the room to find Bickslow on the stage, packing his guitar into a carrying case with care. In the crouching position, he exposed just a little more of his lower back and Laxus again forced his eyes from the man.

It wouldn't have been much trouble, hadn't it reminded him of the pretty arch that body had formed in the shower, leaning back against him entirely under the running water. Why on Earth Land did that guy have to insist on a topless style? It really didn't help their situation, now did it?

“Hey Muscles, help me move this thing.”

Looking back up, he saw the black and blue haired man sitting on a big metallic box. “It's supposed to go backstage”, he stated, clearly thinking himself in the full right to order the blonde around.

Hopping up on the platform as well, Laxus hissed irritably, “You should show a little more respect to your teachers you know.”

It clearly didn't impress the student much, sighing and rolling his eyes. “Yea, whatever.”

Pissed now, Laxus didn't just walk over, he stopped a mere inch from the other's face, glaring at him firmly. It was not a fucking joke. Whether Bickslow liked it or not, they were teacher and student and he had to show the same respect as any of the others. He wasn't getting any special treatment just because of what had happened between them.

Bickslow tensed as the orange eyes met him with such ferocity. If they were usually stormy, there was tornado going down now. It was clear the blonde was angry, but fuck if that didn't just make him even more attractive.

Why did that ridiculously perfect man have to be hot even when angry? Couldn't he have some kind of ugly scowl at least? Fuck. Bickslow exhaled slowly. They were so close, he could feel the other man do the same, the hot breath moving over his face.

With the adrenaline of the concert still pumping through his veins, he blamed it on the music. Or the silence coming after it. It didn't really matter. To hell with caution either way.

Leaning in the last centimetres, he pressed a kiss to those amazing lips and it was like Pandora’s box had been opened. Laxus grabbed a hold of him, pulling him down from the storage box and kissing back with force.

Closing his eyes, Bickslow allowed himself to just give in, opening his mouth to feel the wet tongue invade. The blonde seemed overwhelmed with desire, far more so even than the teenager himself. Bickslow even still had half a mind to hope the last beer had masked the scent and taste of vodka on him.

The blonde did seem to realise what he was doing rather quickly, his head snapping up and the orange eyes searching the room around them. Bickslow thought it to be regret at first, but the firm hands still didn't let him go, keeping a tight hold on his hips. Worry then?

“Don't fret. No one is coming back for a while. They're all off drinking or making out in the park.”

He watched the blonde attentively. The man seemed to be struggling, wanting to do the 'right thing' and walk away, but his body not really following along. What was he thinking? Was there even that much to think about here? Bickslow sure as hell didn't see it.

Yea, he was aware that they shouldn't technically be doing this, but really, it would be fine just as long as they didn't get caught, and the risk of that happening was pretty much zero. As he had said, no one was going to come back here for the next couple of hours. Even if some clutz had forgotten something, they'd assume it was locked already.

Leaning forward again, he pressed a soft kiss to the older man's neck.

Laxus arched back a little. “We can't do this. It's wrong.”

“You mean it's illegal”, Bickslow pointed out.

“Yea. That.”

Smirking a little, the teenager purred, “Is it bad that the fact doesn't turn me off even in the least?” As if he had ever given a damn about something like that. Rules were made to be broken, or at the very least bent.

“It's worse that it doesn't turn me off. I'm supposed to be the cool headed adult here”, Laxus replied in a far more concerned tone of voice. He couldn't really say why he even spoke that aloud. Probably because he somehow wanted permission to go ahead either way.

Bickslow shrugged a little. “Blame it on the alcohol, right?”, he used the blonde's own excuse from that Sunday morning.

“I didn't even drink”, the man protested and he just gave another shrug.

“Too bad.”

Kissing the man again, Bickslow entwined one hand in the blond hair. He wasn't denied in the least. On the contrary, Laxus pushed him back against the storage crate firmly, pressing himself against the younger man eagerly.

Even as he ran his hands down that perfectly sculptured upper body, hidden under nothing more than a soft shirt, Laxus made no move to retreat. The rough hands mirrored his movement instead, feeling over his exposed skin.

Reaching the older man's belt, he undid it, diving under the simple black dress pants and soft underwear.

Feeling not just a raging hard on but a moist spot on the cloth, he met the orange eyes. Laxus was clearly badly aroused. What had turned him on? When and why? He wanted to know what was going on in this fierce man's fantasies. He wanted to make it come true, see the blonde fall apart for him again.

But was it worth risking this situation for it? What if the other pulled back and walked away? He didn't want to loose what he had right here. It felt amazing to be close to the other like this again.

“Did you have to freaking look at me?”, Laxus almost whispered and he frowned at the man.

“What?”

“Did you have to look at me when you sang that damn song? You really don't know when to stop.”

Bickslow smiled as the words sank in. So Laxus had fantasised during the concert, just as he had. The blonde too had thought back to their night exactly when he had. It was far too perfect.

Moving his hand a little and gaining a moan, he mused, “It reminded me of us. It was playing in the background when you fucked me. Or well, the other version of it. 

_I was so satisfied, deep down inside  
Like a hand in a velvet glove_

That's when you asked me if you could cum in me. I'll never forget it.”

The reply surprised Laxus. He hadn't even realised that. All he could remember were this man's breathy moans ringing in his ears. That, and the look on his face, lost in bliss, the smell of him, almost wooden, and the way his body felt, every last inch of it. Those were the things he couldn't get out of his mind again, no matter how hard he tried.

He could feel his cock twitch in the soft hand.

Oh fuck the rules! He kissed the teenager deeply. To his delight, the younger man stroked up his length firmly even if it was an awkward angle to work with, and he didn't hold back, moaning against those addictive lips.

Realising Laxus had tossed the last bit of restraint over board, Bickslow tugged the clothes down a little to get a proper hold of the man's cock. Pushing the blonde back just a little bit, he fell to his knees right there in the middle of the stage.

He had imagined it when he sang it, but now he made truth of it. “Down on my bended knees”, he mused quietly before bringing the glistening tip of the length to his lips, placing a soft kiss to it. He had every intention of taking the length in when the blonde took a hold of his hair, keeping him just a few centimetres too far away.

Looking up questioningly, Bickslow simply waited, not moving his hands, nothing.

Laxus was breathing hard, the promise of that sinfully perfect pleasure right before him again. He knew exactly how good this would be. And, god, the look in those dark red eyes, like he had taken away the teen's favourite toy.

How could one look melt a man like this? He had no explanation for the way it made him feel, so desperate, so darn satisfied. Many had given him a hungry 'please let me' before, but never quite like that.

Bickslow seemed so eager to please, so restless, anticipating what was to come, but he didn't protest, didn't try to argue his way out of this or press on. No, he was happy right there, unfulfilled at the blonde's feet.

Meeting the orange eyes, he lightly licked his lips. He was enjoying the view, a muscular man struggling not to give in quite yet. Laxus Dreyar, the gruff and serious teacher, slowly loosing his cool for him, because of him. Brilliant.

Something sounded in the back and he sprung to his feet. Laxus hastily rearranged his clothes, clearing his throat.

“The box”, Bickslow reminded him and he nodded, helping to heave it behind the heavy stage curtains. Just as they set the crate down where it was supposed to be, Levy and Gajeel strolled into the auditorium.

“You're taking your damn time”, the heavily pierced man grumbled irritably.

“Would have been quicker if you'd helped”, Bickslow simply retorted and got a scoff for it.

“Looks like you had help.”

Levy eyed their teacher for a moment before smiling at the blond man. “Sorry we didn't help out too. It's usually not awfully helpful if more people stand in the way.”

“That's okay”, Laxus nodded.

“Now out, I have to lock up”, he added, shooing them a little.

He watched the three friends head for the front door. Bickslow didn't even give him a last glance. For some reason, it would have felt better if he had, just to acknowledge that this just now had really happened.

Perhaps it was better that he didn't, though.

  



	7. Rebound

Bickslow rolled his eyes. He should have seen it coming.

Gajeel had cornered him in the hallway, a hand on each side of his head making it clear he wasn't going anywhere. He knew the heavily pierced man wasn't too fine to hold him there forcefully if he had to. He'd done it before. That was exactly the kind of friend he was, not allowing the one year older boy to get away with lies.

Thus, Bickslow didn't even try to move. Instead, he leaned back against the wall and met the other's equally red eyes while he waited for the inevitable.

Of course, his best friend had noticed that he was more distant than usual. He had been prodding during the lunch break already, asking Bickslow about his Sunday in far more detail than usual. He didn't just want to know if the other had been out, but where and with whom. Now that school was over and Levy was off to her extracurricular languages class, he wasn't asking any more.

“You're drinking again.” He could smell the alcohol on the other it this close up.

Bickslow didn't bother saying anything to it. It wasn't a question, and even if it had been, he would have had no constructive answer to give. Yea, he was, kind of, but that wasn't the problem. He hadn't gotten wasted worse than on any other day. That wasn't why he was acting out.

Gajeel seemed to realise that as well. He knew exactly when this had started, after which weekend his fiend had started spacing out again.

“Why is that one-night stand so important to you? It's almost a month ago now. Let it fucking go already. You've fallen in love and gotten over it before. Rebound, as you always do”, he tried.

Bickslow sighed aloud. “I did and then I fucked him again. It's a two night stand now”, He stated, holding to fingers up demonstratively. It was almost true. They had been about to. He would have had his second night hadn't they been interrupted.

Had he gotten to do it, he would probably have been off even worse now, his world have been even greyer and duller, but fuck, that didn't make him crave it any less. It had been a torture to watch Laxus all day long, knowing that they were both thinking of what might have been that night on the auditorium stage.

“So what? Come on. Seeing you like this... Bickslow, he's not worth it. Whoever that guy is, he clearly doesn't want you. If he had, he'd be here, right?”, his friend insisted.

It wasn't quite that easy this time, but he guessed the other was right at least partially. They had been able to be fairly natural around another for the past weeks. He ought to rebound again. “Fine. Then you do it.”

“Me?”

“Yea. Or are you suddenly exclusive with Bookworm?”

It wasn't like it would be their first time. It had just been a while. Bickslow simply didn't think he'd be able to wait until Friday, and sneaking out on a weekday to hunt in almost empty bars was not a whole lot of fun. Besides, Gajeel knew what he liked, so it would be good, guaranteed.

Shrugging, Gajeel agreed to it. “Geh, fine.” He pulled his phone from his pocket.

While it was fine if he wanted to sleep with someone else, there were a few rules he had to adhere to. Levy and him had discussed these a few months after getting together, to make sure they were on the same page, that no one would have their feelings hurt.

Whenever one of them wanted to have sex with someone else, they had to send a text message, at the very least saying with whom. Mostly, they wrote a little piece about why too and they finished it with a declaration of love every time. It was rather adorable. Bickslow leaned in to glance at the screen as well.

> “I'm fucking Bickslow today. He's feeling down because of that lay, you know. Will probably be in the music room or somthin if you wanna watch : P ~ Love ya Shrimp.”

“Who compares his girlfriend to seafood, seriously?”, he teased and Gajeel growled at him, pressing 'send' unnecessarily hard.

Looking up, Bickslow saw Laxus leaving their classroom as well. The blonde took his keys and locked the door.

Most students liked the routine since it prevented destructive mischief and kept any personal possessions left in the desks safe. The drawback was that they couldn't utilise the rooms during afternoons and weekends to study, or “study”, as Bickslow preferred to do.

The blond man pocketed his keys and Bickslow pulled his friend close, kissing him eagerly. He entwined a hand in the wild mane, licking over the other's lips.

Slightly bewildered by the sudden public display of affection, Gajeel hesitated a bit. When the other teenager slipped one hand into his back pocket and tugged his hips close, though, he caught up and kissed back with no less.

Looking up, Laxus tensed.

Spotting the teenagers making out further down the hallway, he almost held his breath. Had it been just any couple, he wouldn't have paid it any mind, but that was Bickslow pressed against the wall. It seemed he had found someone he could actually have.

Swallowing hard, the blonde turned from the scene as not to stare. What the hell had he thought would happen exactly? That Bickslow would wait until he graduated? Of course not. Still, it stung, seeing the black and blue haired man pull someone else close like that.

He shook his head lightly. This was a good thing. They couldn't be and Bickslow had to move on from him. As did he. He had to move on from this.

Walking in the opposite direction, he made sure to round a corner before he stopped. Looking around, he decided the bathroom was a good call and headed in to wash his face.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror for a long while. What now?

While it seemed to work for Bickslow, himself, he had already tried sleeping with some other guy. It didn't really help take his mind of the teenager. Quite to the contrary. Anything a man did to try and please him only paled as his mind compulsively compared it to Bickslow, his eyes, voice, body, everything.

The biggest issue was, he wanted more of the other, so much more. It had to be more than loose sex.

Drying his hands, Laxus walked back out into the hallway and headed upstairs. At the very end of the corridor, he tried the door labelled '3E', hoping it wouldn't be locked yet. The handle turned in his hand and he sighed in relief, opening the door and peeking inside.

The room was identical to his own classroom, and at the master's desk she sat, Mirajane Strauss. Right after they had been introduced, she had asked him to take a cup of coffee with her. At the time, he had politely declined, making some lame excuse. Apparently getting the hint, she hadn't asked again.

She looked up with as smile. “Ah, hey Laxus. What can I do for you?”

He walked inside and closed the door behind himself. She really was pretty, curvy and soft. She was kind too, but stern when she needed to be, a brilliant mix for a teacher. This could work. While he probably wasn't capable of falling in love with a woman, they made for neat friends and bed partners. “I was thinking, maybe you'd like to grab some dinner with me tonight? I'm free.”

The white haired woman's smile widened. She clearly liked the idea. “Are you asking me out?”, she teased lightly.

So that really had been the intention when she asked him about that coffee. Perfect. He needed someone like her right now, someone sensible, smart and friendly, someone he was allowed to have.

“What if I am?”

Nodding a little, Mirajane agreed. “I'd like that very much. Just give me and hour to finish checking these essays and I'm all yours.”

  


Bickslow in the meantime was very satisfied with the shocked expression on the blonde's face when he saw them kiss. He looked so darn jealous, walked away so stiffly. Bickslow was sure the hunter must have found it hard no to turn around and reclaim his territory.

Yea, it was a bit of a dick move, he was ready to admit that, but hell, if Laxus could flaunt his perfect body in front of the blackboard all day long, then he could indulge in teasing back for at least one damn minute.

And besides, the other's lips did feel good.

Feeling a vibration against his thigh, he sniggered and the black haired man pulled back, checking his phone.

“And? Did she tell you what a cheating bastard you are?”, Bickslow chuckled.

“What else?”, Gajeel retorted sarcastically. “If we keep it up for an hour, she'll enjoy it for sure.”

The black and blue haired man smirked widely. “Worst case we'll have to make it two rounds, right?”

Gajeel pulled him from the wall and along.

They headed upstairs and for their little music room. It wasn't in the second building as most other club rooms for the simple reason that the headmaster thought it might annoy people to hear them play. Not everyone shared the same taste in music after all.

The auditorium was already occupied by the classical orchestra, so the first building it was, right at the top, beside broom closets and storage rooms. They really didn't mind, loving the privacy they had there. Having access to an extra room, far away from everyone else, was pretty awesome.

The room was very cosy. It was some sort of old storage that had been repurposed. The walls were covered in soft grey sound absorbers, and in the back, one window allowed for some daylight to shine in.

They had furnished it with only the most important things, Levy's drum kit, their guitars and amplifiers, and an old sofa to sit on, generously donated by the teacher's lounge so they had an excuse to buy a new one.

Closing the door behind them, Bickslow watched his friend flop down on the soft sofa. The only bad thing about the piece of furniture was the material. It was leather. Leather was very annoying when sitting naked, because it tended to stick to warm skin.

“Well?”, the dark haired man prompted and he smirked a little.

What he really wanted to do right now was play out a finish to that moment from Saturday. It wouldn't be quite the same, but he had a lively fantasy. The presence of the instruments would be enough for him to imagine he was back on that stage. It had been so fucking hot to sit there, like their act was up for public display and he was the centre piece.

Dropping to his knees, he beckoned the other closer.

Grumbling a little that he would have to stand up, Gajeel walked over. He stopped right before his friend, running his hands through the black and blue hair. “Well?”, he mused again. “What is it you want?”

“Hold me back”, Bickslow answered before reaching for the button of the wild man's dress pants.

The uniform really was such an odd look for him. In full costume and a pony tail, it might have worked, but not like this. “You look awful in this stuff. So not your style”, he teased and Gajeel huffed a laugh. He removed his shirt and tossed it aside. “Screw you Pretty Boy. They didn't offer a tank top as alternative.”

Abandoning the open trousers, Bickslow ran his hands up the exposed skin, feeling the other's muscles flex lightly under his fingers. Placing a kiss just above the waistline, he hummed, “Much better.”

“For your information, some think I look hot in a shirt”, Gajeel grumbled.

“Levy doesn't count. A boyfriend looks good in just about anything”, Bickslow teased back. He knew very well it wasn't just her, but that wouldn't stop him from using the line.

Hooking his finger under the remaining clothes, he pulled them down, eyeing the half hard length that was exposed. He loved that Gajeel had pierced even his privates, a barbell resting just under the head of his cock. As if having metal for eyebrows and setting several abnormally large dermals along your arms wasn't enough.

Nuzzling against the small patch of dark hair, Bickslow indulged in the slight shiver that went through the other's body. He mouthed at the base of the cock lightly, observing how it grew to its full length due to his ministrations.

Going for the price, he licked to the tip and engulfed the length.

Almost instantly, he was yanked back, giving a slight grunt at the pain from having his hair pulled that harshly.

“Aren't you being a little eager?”, Gajeel teased and he almost whimpered in answer. He looked up with the best 'please' he could manage written in his eyes.

The other smirked, flashing his crazy sharp canines. For now, he was still in perfect control of himself, but he wouldn't be for long. Letting the black and blue haired man close now and again to tease a little more, he would slowly loose his cool, and in the end, he would give in to it.

Sitting here at the other's feet wasn't about submission for Bickslow. He didn't know if Gajeel was actually aware of that. The guy was very dominant and clearly enjoyed taking control over him. In fact, Gajeel always insisted on ruling the happening unless it was with his girlfriend. She was the only one allowed to decide over him in turn.

All this wasn't about that for the other, though. It wasn't even about sex, not really. It was about desire. That was what got him off, the desire of others, to be needed, desperately. But more than that, it made him feel attractive, ensured him that he really was worth it, that he deserved to be happy.

He knew that he wasn't supposed to feel that way, was supposed to know his worth without needing anyone else's approval, but being lectured about what he should and shouldn't be feeling really didn't help either.

Keeping his eyes locked on the dark haired man's face, he waited until the other eased his grip a little again and he could continue, running his tongue up the underside of the length, teasing the piercing as he went.

Over and over again, he was pulled back to drag this out. And each time, he waited until he was allowed forward again. For each time, Gajeel seemed to find it harder to resist, notably shortening the pauses until finally he didn't have it in himself to interrupt again.

Bickslow loved every moan he got, every slight twitch of the other's fingers in his hair, every last sign of desire. That was also why cum was so addictive. It really didn't taste good, hell no, but it was delicious in its own way. Climax, the height of sexual pleasure, reached because of him.

When Gajeel reached that tip, he didn't hesitate to swallow once more. Humming a little, he licked his lips before bothering to look back up.

The dark haired man was breathing hard, his mouth hanging open as he tried to catch his breath. The tease he had forced on them both had definitively served its purpose.

Letting go of the black and blue hair, Gajeel took a step back and flopped down on the couch, pulling his trousers up haphazardly to avoid sitting on the leather with his bare butt. “Fucking hell, Bickslow, you slut”, he sniggered.

“You love it”, Bickslow mused back.

Looking back at the one year older boy, Gajeel smirked, “Did I claim the differ?”

He petted his lap. “Come here.”

Getting up, Bickslow moved over and straddled the man's lap. “Hm?”

Gajeel didn't play around in the least, opening the other's trousers and tugging the clothes down just enough to get a hold of the older student's erection. He ran his hand over it firmly, rolling his thumb over the moist tip. “Levy will wanna see this, so don't come before she arrives”, he grinned mischievously.

“And when will that be?”, Bickslow wondered. Anything above five minutes was just not going to happen right now, not after the desperate display of need Gajeel had just offered him.

“Should be any minute now.”

Nodding, Bickslow accepted the challenge.

  


Levy packed her books back into her bag and headed out of the classroom. She checked her phone again. Nothing new, so they were probably still in the music room. There really was a rather interesting bromance going on between those two. When she first met them, she had been convinced they were a couple.

It had quite shocked her when Bickslow paired her and Gajeel up for a date. He had been rather crude about it too, telling her she was going on a date as though there was nothing to discuss. It had worked out very nicely, though, she had to admit.

Looking up again, she noticed Mr. Dreyar was still in the building. He stood waiting for something. She was about to turn away and walk up to the top floor when a door opened and Ms. Strauss locked her classroom. She smiled brightly as she came up to the blonde and the two of them headed downstairs together.

Raising an eyebrow, Levy left. If her suspicion was correct, this was either very good, or very bad.

Entering the music room, she saw her boyfriend and best friend on the couch, the black and blue haired man panting as he was treated to a firm handjob.

Gajeel smirked at her as she quickly closed the door again. “Just in time Shrimp.”

Bickslow was a whimpering mess, trying to hold back with all his might. Moaning against the other's neck, he was relieved Levy was finally here. Tensing up almost instantly, he was right on the edge.

The dark haired man took a hold of his throat, forcing him to sit up straight so they would be able to see his facial expression.

Loving to be put up for show, he tilted his head back, groaning at the ceiling as he lost control over his body, jerking in the other man's lap and spilling over the warm hand that milked him for every last drop.

“Oh God Fuck!”

“Language”, Levy teased a she sat down beside her boyfriend.

“I see you two are having fun”, she mused as she watched the black and blue haired man collapsing against her boyfriend's chest, his breathing erratic. Gajeel stroked down the other's back in silence, giving him time to come down from his high.

Levy too waited before she said anything more. First when Bickslow was sitting on the couch with his clothes back in order did she bring up what she had observed. “Guess who I just saw leaving school together?”, she gossiped light-heartedly.

“Who?”, Gajeel wondered, buttoning his shirt up.

“Mr. Dreyar and Ms. Strauss.”

Bickslow noticed the way the hazel eyes inspected him as this information was disclosed. No way could she know. Shrugging a little, he played it off. “Everyone's gotta have some fun, right?”

That it rammed a nail into his heart, he wasn't about to admit. It wasn't like they could be any way.

He was fine with it.

Totally fine.

Yea.

  



	8. Ditching

Laxus walked into the classroom just as the bell rung for school to start. He never saw the point in being early, just as long as you weren't late instead.

Placing his bag down, he looked up and realised at once that Bickslow was missing. Sitting down, he calmly took attendance either way. He had to follow procedure. Once he had it on paper, he looked up and asked, “Does anyone know where Bickslow is?”

There was silence in the classroom, a few students exchanging amused glances or lightly shaking their heads.

He looked to Gajeel, but the teen just shrugged. Whether it was because he didn't want to tell on the other student or he genuinely didn't know, Laxus couldn't tell. It didn't really matter. He had to report a student missing. Standing back up, he took his bag.

“Start on chapter six. Read aloud and change reader for every page. You know the drill”, he stated before leaving the room.

The rules were very strict. No one was allowed to just not show up. If you were sick, the school nurse had to make the call and report it to the reception. The reception in turn was supposed to inform the teacher in question. Laxus had received no such memo.

Sighing, he headed downstairs and to the front office. Ms. Astor was luckily at the desk, so he didn't have to wait. Walking up to her, he reported, “Bickslow isn't in class.”

“Oh okay. Let me just…”, the lilac haired woman mumbled, checking the computer.

She made a face and looked up. “He's not sick either.”

“Great. What now?”

“Let me check with the principal.”

She got up and turned around. Walking into the short hallway beyond the reception, she opened the heavy wooden door to Mr. Conbolt's office. “Bickslow is gone again.”

“Again?” The principals voice sounded tired.

Walking out his office, he came over to Laxus, asking hopefully, “Do you have any idea where he might be?”

The blonde shook his head. “No, and it doesn't seem his friends do either.”

“Maybe he left school grounds again”, Ms. Astor suggested, causing the principal to give an irritated groan.

“I sure hope not. We have two guards sick today. I can't send them out.”

Thinking hard, he stroked a hand over his blue moustache. “What are you doing in class today? They're reading a book right now, aren't they?”

“Yes. Today is just reading time and later we'll have maths”, Laxus confirmed.

Nodding, the principal decided, “Well then. I will take over your class for now. You go look for Bickslow. I think you will have an easier time talking to him than me.”

“Aright. Any clues? Places he usually hangs out in?”, the blonde asked, but both Mr. Conbalt and Ms. Astor simply shrugged.

“Great.”

  


Laxus stashed his bag in his car again before he went looking for the missing teenager.

He first looked in the dorms. Knocking on the teenager's door, he got no answer, so he had the dorm father unlock the room to find an empty bed. Then, he searched the campus, walked down the paths through the park, checked the sports halls and the second building, the mess hall and even the auditorium that was locked this time of the day. Nothing.

Had that idiot really left school grounds? What the hell was that brat thinking? Did he not realise what a pain in the ass he was being, disappearing like this? From the principals reaction to judge, this was hardly a rare occurrence.

Watching the students head for lunch, he grumbled in irritation. He too was getting hungry now, but he didn't really feel like he could just take a break. Having a student missing was a serious issue. Something could have happened. They had the responsibility for these teens.

Seeing Gajeel and Levy walk outside, he headed over to them to ask one more time. They stopped as he approached.

“Any luck?”, Levy wondered and he shook his head.

“Are you sure you have no idea where he might be? This is serious. Are there any places he usually goes to?”, Laxus tried, but the both of them gave him a shrug and an apologetic look.

“No idea. He does this sometimes, disappearing for a day. He'll turn up again I'm sure, but I have no idea where he could be. He's not in the music room. I checked before we came down for lunch”, Levy said.

“Well, once its nine o'clock, I might have an idea where I could look for him, but that's a few hours from now”, Gajeel added.

Laxus knew exactly what the man mean, but he tried not to let that show. Of course, Bickslow would be drawn out to the clubs and bars once it got late.

“And he isn't answering our messages either”, Levy sighed, seeming a little troubled by the entire thing as well.

The blonde repressed the urge to facepalm himself. He hadn't even thought that far. He had the teens damn phone number! “Just tell me if you hear anything”, he simply nodded, walking away again.

Looking back to make sure they wouldn't see him pull up his phone as reaction to that information, he saw the dark haired man pulling an arm around the bluenette and leaning in to kiss her.

Was that why?

Looking down at the screen in his hands, he contemplated whether he should call the number Bickslow had given him that night. If he was hiding, he probably wouldn't answer.

Deciding to give the teenager some room to think on it, he texted instead.

“Why aren't you in class?”

  


Bickslow looked down as his phone buzzed again. Both Levy and Gajeel had tried to contact him, but he was pretty sure they knew he wouldn't be answering just because they kept bugging him.

Checking, he realised this was not from either one of them. It was from someone he had almost forgotten had his number. Laxus. He didn't even have to write it in the message to make it obvious that it was him.

Why wasn't he in class? What a question. There was no way he could sit and stare at that piece of perfection for the entire day yet again, not now that he suspected Laxus dated a woman. He just couldn't deal with that.

To think the blonde had kept his number, though. He honoured it with a reply at least.

“We're texting now?”

“Just tell me where the fuck you are.”

He hesitated. For obvious reasons, he didn't actually want to be found, but if this mean he could get just a few minutes alone with the blonde… Damn. He really wasn't going to get over this any time soon, was he? How ridiculous. Him, lovestruck, and that because of a fucking teacher.

“On the roof.”

It wasn't long before he heard steps in the stairwell. He straightened his back a little, readying himself mentally for what was to come.

The door to the roof opened and he almost held his breath. He heard it fall shut again and the blond man walked around the small room that contained the staircase to find him, sitting here on the flat roof with a cigarette in hand.

“Are you okay?”

Bickslow blinked up at the finely dressed man. Really? That was the blonde's first question? He had expected a proper scolding and perhaps a bit of screaming, something, but definitively not this.

Blowing the smoke out, he wondered, “Why wouldn't I be?”

Laxus exhaled in relief. At least the teen wasn't injured or anything. The student hiding like this, sitting here and smoking, he was angry, but also concerned. It reminded him of his own teenage years far too much. The difference was, he hadn't been at a school this strict, had preferred cigars to cigarettes, and his spot had been the space between a fence and the sport hall.

He sat down beside the younger man and leaned back against the wall as well. “I saw your boyfriend arm in arm with a cute bluenette just now.”

The student raised an eyebrow at that. Had Laxus been worried about him? Did the man think he was hurt or something? “Gajeel isn't my boyfriend”, he waved it off.

“What then? Fuck buddy?”

“Something like that. Friends with benefits.”

The blonde eyed him for a long moment. “You do know that smoking on school grounds is strictly forbidden, right?”

“I might have heard something along those lines before”, Bickslow joked, but the orange eyes showed no sign of amusement.

“Come on. It's the roof. Like anyone is gonna care”, he sighed.

“You shouldn't smoke to begin with. It's bad for your health”, Laxus lectured sternly.

Making a scandalised face, the student asked sarcastically, “What? I always thought that was just propaganda.” He looked away, shaking his head a little. Couldn't there be just one fucking day where no one felt the urge to tell him what he should and shouldn't be doing?

Laxus sighed deeply at the dismissive attitude. He knew how it was, being berated about how you should stop this and do that. He had hated it too, but it was important. Had he listened to his teachers and his grandfather earlier, he could have saved himself a lot of trouble. And now it was his turn to be the annoying adult and try to save Bickslow some.

“You're too young to throw your lungs out. Stop it”, he insisted.

“Make me.”

Bickslow met his eyes and smirked, “Preoccupy my lips and I'll toss it.”

“I told you...”

“We can't do this. I know. I know.”

Bringing the cigarette to his lips again, the black and blue haired man took another drag. Laxus scowled a little. He leaned in and kissed the student lightly. “Besides, cigarette kisses taste awful”, he stated.

The younger man kept eye contact with him, blowing the smoke out to the side so it wouldn't get in his face.

Finally turning his gaze away, he pressed the tip of the smoke against the ground, putting it out.“How was your date with Ms. Strauss? Did you get laid?”, he asked casually.

Laxus tensed. How did Bickslow even know that? “That is none of your business”, he merely avoided the question.

The student gave a small huffed laugh. “That's as good as a yes.”

Turning back to his teacher, he had a fake smile on his lips. Was that why Bickslow was hiding then? Not Gajeel being with a girl, but him being with Mirajane?

Before he could try to find something to say about it, Bickslow continued, “So why aren't you reporting me already? Don't you have a class to attend or something?”

He shrugged a little. Now that the drama was over and he knew Bickslow was safe, he didn't really want to go back down and do the paperwork. It was oddly comforting to sit here right now, watching birds fly by and just being beside the other man casually like this.

“I'm ditching.”

Bickslow sniggered a little. “Can teachers do that?”

“If we have an emergency”, Laxus nodded.

“An emergency?”, the younger man asked amused. He was pretty sure that emergency was over with the second he had answered his teacher about his whereabouts.

The blonde had a little playful hint in his eyes. “I'm taking care of a student that suddenly disappeared from campus”, he said and Bickslow laughed aloud.

“You are not a very good role model. You know that, right?”

There was a drawn out silence between them and Laxus wondered if he should ask. He might as well, now that they were sitting here and talking. They had to address the elephant in the room at some point, right? “So, are you good? With... us”, he wondered.

Bickslow took a measured breath. No! No, he was not fucking 'good' with 'them', if there even was a 'them' to talk about. He was not good with being unable to do more than look at the other and he was definitively not good with Ms. Strauss dating this blond god. “I'll live. Gajeel is a good distraction”, he lied.

“Even though he is otherwise occupied?”, Laxus asked and he raised an eyebrow at the man.

“Are you telling me I need to find new lays?”

“Maybe you should find something more than a fuck buddy.”

“So you think I should find a partner?”

The teacher shrugged a little. “It helped me.”

“So Ms. Strauss is a rebound?”, Bickslow asked. He hoped for a 'yes'. That would make it feel just a little better for his part, for it would mean that Laxus didn't think of them as just casual sex either, that it was more than desire that drove him to break the rules with his student.

“You make it sound really bad”, the blonde sighed and he shrugged a little. He didn't want to seem too happy about it. It still didn't mean the two of them had any chance. “Not if she knows it.”

Laxus cleared his throat uncomfortably and Bickslow gave the blonde a scandalised look. “She doesn't know. Wow, you're bad. You're worse than me, and be aware, that is not a compliment.”

“Hey, I do like her”, the teacher defended.

“As a lay.”

“She's charming. Very, very, charming, okay?”

Bickslow shook his head at the other. “You are talking about your sexlife with a student. In fact, you're talking about you having sex with another teacher, with a student.”

Laxus shrugged. “I fucked you and was about to again even after finding out that you are in my class. I think I have to do a lot more to top that.”

The younger man laughed. “Yea, suppose that's true.”

It was odd how easily they could talk once they were alone, how well they fit, how everything made sense. It was almost comical, considering how messed up and awkward they got the second someone else watched.

Chuckling a little at the thought, Bickslow noticed the blonde giving him an odd look. Oh wouldn't it be great to get away from all those pairs of eyes for a while and just be?

“Hey, if we're really gonna ditch, lets do it properly”, he suggested.

“And that would be?”

“Leave campus, grab a few drinks. I know a private spot in the woods behind the super market.”

Laxus couldn't believe this guy. Was he serious? They would both get in massive trouble. “And how do we get off campus without being detected?”, he questioned.

“You're a teacher. You are going to leave to look for me. Wasn't that it? They won't check your car.”

The blonde shook his head. “And then what?”

“We have fun and then you bring me back, having finally found me.”

It still didn't really seem very solid, even if Bickslow spoke about it as though it was. “What would I tell the school exactly? They will ask for details.”

“That you found me in the streets with a beer in hand. Explains slight alcohol on me. They won't check you, you're a responsible adult.”

Eyeing the younger man, Laxus frowned a little. Sure, that would wash his name clear, but not Bickslow's. “You will get in a lot of trouble, much more than if I tell them the truth, that I found you on campus”, he stated the obvious.

The teenager shrugged. “Far from the worst I've been written up for so far.”

“Really?”

“Lets just say I have a tendency to sneak out on school nights, get wasted, fuck around. I try to keep it to weekends, but there are entire five days of class between Sunday and Firday evening and I get bored easily.”

He sniggered a little.

“They mostly don't even realise I'm gone until I turn up again the next morning. Or well, mostly, they don't notice at all.”

Laxus sighed a little. “Wow. I'm starting to doubt who is the bad influence here.”

“Come on. Lets have some fun before we go get our scolding”, Bickslow mused.

The blonde hesitated. He knew he really shouldn't be doing this, but that only made it more fun. Seems he hadn't left all of his teenage shenanigans behind himself after all, huh?

“Aright. Fine. Fuck it.”

  



	9. Let's Make the Most of It

Laxus found it almost impressive how easily Bickslow could sneak his way out of the building and into his car. The teen simply used a few corners to hide and then walked in a calm pace, as though nothing was out of the ordinary, slipping past everyone by simply not drawing their attention in the least.

The student lay down on his back seat, pulling the blanket he had lying around over himself. A hand on the ignition, Laxus hesitated again. This was wrong and he knew it. His conscience battled with his repressed mischievous side.

Finally the little devil on his left shoulder shot the angle sitting on his right down and he turned the key, the car roaring to life.

He was just a little nervous as they headed for the gate. It had never looked quite that high and ominous to him before, but the guard sitting in the small booth just gave him a look, a smile, and opened for him.

Five minutes down the road, Bickslow emerged from his hiding place. He climbed into the front seat carefully and smiled over both ears.

This was the exact reason Laxus had a problem. That smile, that glow in the dark red eyes was the best kind of toxin. It made him forget all his moral values, just as long as he got to see it. This guy would be the end of him.

“Put your seatbelt on”, he hissed and Bickslow sniggered a little, doing as he was told.

“It's cute when you worry about me”, he teased.

“It has nothing to do with worry. I don't want to get a ticket”, the blonde huffed and he giggled a little at the obvious lie.

“Sure”, he mused.

  


Laxus let himself be directed to the supermarket in question and parked the car far back. After getting them something to eat for lunch a beer each, he followed the younger man into the woods.

There was no foot trail, no indication that people ever walked through here. It was no great surprise. The place didn't look particularly inviting compared to the park just across the street.

Bickslow stopped somewhere in the middle of nowhere and sat down on the mossy ground. “Nice, isn't it? No one ever comes here.”

Laxus looked around curiously. He had to agree, it was wonderful, perfect for an introvert like him that regained his energy in solitude. It surprised him that Bickslow enjoyed this kind of lonely place. He was pretty sure the teenager was an extrovert, as energetic and eccentric as he was.

“And what do you do here exactly?”, he wondered.

“You know”, Bickslow shrugged, not really answering his question. He didn't really think Laxus would want to hear about how he would sit here and drink, smoke, get high, or just stare into space. And even if the blonde did, he didn't really wanna talk about it.

Sitting down beside the other, Laxus was glad it hadn't rained for several weeks, even the moss covering the ground dry by now.

He pulled the sandwiches and drinks from his shopping bag and handed the teenager his share. Bickslow accepted with a bright smile.

“Oh! Thanks, I was starving.”

No wonder if that idiot hadn't even turned up to have breakfast with the other students. Laxus didn't say it aloud. They were not arguing right now, not here where the world for once seemed complete, like nothing could hurt them.

They ate in silence. A few birds chirped in the branches above and somewhere in the bushes small animals rustled about. It was incredibly tranquil.

Lying down, Laxus inhaled the fresh air with a hum. If only life could be like this all the time.

Bickslow watched the blonde with interest. He looked almost as relaxed as when he was sleeping, the stern facial expression for once soft and the stormy eyes calm. Realising he was being observed, Laxus looked back at the younger man and raised an eyebrow.

The student cleared his throat, looking away. He could swear he was blushing a little. For fucks sake. He was never this timid otherwise. What was wrong with him? Why did this ridiculously handsome man have to break him down like this? No other pretty faces managed to do that.

“Aright?”, Laxus asked and Bickslow nodded a little, sure he had never heard the blonde use such a soft tone of voice before. He swung back the last of his beer and set the can aside, staring into the distance.

The older man sat back up and he tensed as he felt the warm body so close to his own. He glanced back at the teacher, the blonde leaning in curiously and the orange eyes inspecting him with care. Feeling his cheeks heat further, Bickslow grumbled a little. “What?”

Laxus couldn't help find the other man incredibly adorable in this moment. He had never seen the teenager blush before, not when presenting something to the class, not when standing on stage, not even kneeling at his feet. But now he was, now that they were out here alone, the silence speaking for them.

Wrapping an arm around the man, he pulled the teenager close, just holding him tight.

Bickslow hid his face against the suit jacket. This was exactly what he wanted, to be able to be close to the other like this, but it wasn't going to last. Once they returned, they would have to go back to ignoring another best they could. He would sleep with strangers and perhaps Gajeel, and Laxus would date Ms. Strauss.

He really didn't like that Laxus had slept with a woman. He knew it was petty, he himself sleeping around the way he did, and it was completely weird to him that he cared what gender Laxus's lay was, but it bugged him nonetheless. He couldn't help it.

Maybe it was because women were seen as these irresistible beings of infinite beauty, but it felt like Laxus was being taken from him. He didn't even 'have' the man to begin with, but he still felt the urge to reclaim the blonde.

Leaning up, he kissed the man.

Laxus pulled back almost instantly, and he tensed. 'Please, just please, don't leave me yet.'

“What? Don't want to cheat on your girlfriend?”, he asked teasingly, trying his best not to let his nervousness show. It might be a little mean, but again, not once had he claimed to be nice.

The blonde grumbled a little. That was hardly the issue here. “We're not really officially together yet or anything.”

“Well then, Mr. Dreyar. Let's make the most of it”, the teenager purred, but he shook his head. Doing this now would only make things more complicated again, just like last time. It wasn't a good idea. In fact, it was a terrible idea.

Bickslow felt his heart ache a little at the rejection. And he was irritated. He knew he had little right to be, but he was. Did the blonde really not want to all of a sudden? Because of the white haired woman?

Climbing into the other man's lap, he met the orang eyes head on. “You want it just as much as me”, he stated, hoping for all in the world that it was true.

Not getting an answer, he knew he had been right and felt his entire body wind down in relief. Laxus did still want him. He just felt guilty about it. Time to push some boundaries.

“If it makes you feel better, you don't even have to do anything. Just let me”, he coaxed in a silky voice, slipping one hand down to cup the man's crotch.

Laxus clenched his jaw at the tease. Bickslow had seen right through him. Yea, he felt guilty for desiring the other, felt weak for being unable to stop himself from wanting the student. And it was so easy to just give in and allow it to happen. Why did Bickslow have to offer something like that?

“You are awful.”

“Blaming it on the kid now? That's not very professional”, the black and blue haired man teased.

That was true as well. Taking the younger man's hand in his own to stop this, Laxus began, “This won't last. Tomorrow...”

Bickslow interrupted him with a kiss. “I don't give a shit about tomorrow. We have today.”

Again, Laxus could swear he had a little angel and a miniature devil sitting on his shoulders, their shouting match ringing through his head painfully. Before long the little horned beast pulled out its gun and finished the job.

Turning to the side, he let the younger man fall to the ground and kissed him deeply.

If he had just today, he was going to savour it. Bickslow sure as hell didn't complain, letting himself be overwhelmed by the blonde.

The addictive lips kissed along his jawline and neck, the strong hands starting to unbutton his shirt and opening it, it was perfect. Warm fingers ran over his skin and he hummed.

Laxus didn't hold back any more, licking down his chest and closing his lips around a nipple. Wrapping his legs around the blonde's hips, Bickslow tilted his head back with a moan. He was sadly not actually sensitive in that area, but god that was arousing.

Placing one hand on the other man's chest, he got under the jacket and ran his fingers over the same spot as the blonde was assaulting, getting a deep growl. Seems Laxus had a sweet spot there. Smirking, Bickslow lightly pinched through the soft cloth.

Groaning, the blonde took the teasing hand and instead placed it back down between his legs, but the teenager wasn't done playing now that he had found out. He ran the hand back up and repeated the move, purring into the other's ear, “What else do you like? Ears? Neck? Collarbone?”

Chuckling a little, the blonde challenged, “That's for you to find out, isn't it?”

It was accepted at once, the younger man latching onto his neck and searching with soft lips. Bickslow soon managed to find the sweet spot just under the blonde's ear and Laxus closed his eyes in bliss. Enjoying it fully, he first pulled away when he started fearing there would be a mark.

He couldn't allow that. Anyone else might think it was from yesterday, but Mirajane would know that it wasn't. Bickslow on the other hand wasn't seeing anyone. Laxus scooted down and pressed a kiss to the man's hips, just above his waistline. Sucking on the skin, he made sure it bruised.

Realising what the older man was doing, Bickslow could feel his body heat impossibly. He wanted to be marked by the other, wanted Laxus to let loose entirely with him, show what he truly desired and assert his territory.

Pulling on the soft hair, Bickslow urged the man to the other side and the blonde repeated it on his left hip. He moved up and placed love bites along the student's abs and across his chest, finishing with an especially mean one on his neck, so it would be well visible for days to come.

Looking at the deep red mark, he knew that he was being egotistical. He claimed this man as his, wanted to make sure everyone else knew this dashing teenager was already taken, but himself, he wasn't going to commit, wasn't going to let the other leave even the slightest trace of what was between them.

Saving his guilt for later, he kissed down the trail of red marks until he was at the waistline once more. Unbuttoning the black dress pants, he tugged the other's clothes down to his knees.

It was a wonderful sight, the pretty young lad lying under him in the moss, clothes in disarray, fresh marks of possession covering his skin and lust sparkling in the dark red eyes. The man's chest was heaving and lowering in deep breaths, his cock standing attention. God, how could Laxus ever have believed he would be able to resist?

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the man's thigh, then his hip, and finally his dick. Licking over the tip, the blonde got a hiss, the body under him arching up a little.

He hadn't done this in a while. He usually received and didn't give, picked men that were fine with that or even downright loved it, but with Bickslow he wanted to. He wanted to see the younger man's reaction, hear him moan aloud, taste him.

Wrapping his lips around the erection, he smirked at the breathless gasp and almost violent jerk of the other man. “Oh fuck, Laxus!”

He loved hearing his name like that, moaned and needy. Cradling the man's balls as he bobbed his head, he made sure Bickslow fully enjoyed it.

The black nail polish decorated hands dug into the ground, that pretty mouth hanging open wide. The man's entire body shivered and squirmed. It was very satisfying to watch.

With a measured breath, Laxus relaxed entirely and then dipped down all the way, pressing his nose against the blue patch of hair at the root. “Fuck!”, Bickslow cursed aloud, bending forward and without warning spilling in the hot mouth.

Pulling off, Laxus had every intention of spitting the awful tasting fluid out, but the black and blue haired man caught a hold of his neck, pulling him up and into an open mouthed kiss. The younger man licked the taste out of his mouth with throaty groans, like this was the climax of their sex, not the orgasm that lead to it.

Once the need for air became too pressing, Laxus pulled back and the younger man relaxed back down, smiling at him like he had seen an angel.

After a moment the teenager sniggered a little.

“Maybe we should swing by your place before we go back.”

Laxus frowned at him in suspicion. There was no way they were going to do anything in his apartment. This right here was bad enough.

“I mean, that I am a mess comes as no surprise to anyone, but you might wanna change slacks”, the student explained and the blonde looked down at their position. He had moved around on his knees in the dirt, giving the trousers a clear patch of brown and green on both sides.

“Right.”

Pulling the older man down to cuddle for now, Bickslow simply did his best to not think of their way back all too much as of yet. This right here was perfect, was all he needed.

It was easily worth whatever kind of screaming he would have to listen to, however many hours of detention they would deem appropriate this time.

At least he would have the blonde's marks on his skin, reminding him of today. At least he knew for sure that the man wasn't serious about his female lay, at least not romantically.

  


 


	10. Detention

Bickslow kept his silence, just waiting the headmaster out as he had done so many times before. He had learned the quickest way to get these kinds of sessions over with. It was sitting perfectly still, looking at the adult attentively, not rolling his eyes, not protesting or trying to defend himself, not saying a word until he was dismissed.

If he said something, even just a word, the adult would believe he was about to talk and through that find new energy to keep going. If he defended himself, he could end up being berated further about how wrong he was. That had happened way too often in the past.

If he dared look away or seem uninterested, things could even get physical. It wouldn't escalate that way here at this school, but it had in a lot of other places. It didn't exactly help to seem disrespectful either way. All it could do was gain him harsher punishments.

So he waited.

Once Mr. Conbolt was done screaming, he talked. Once he was done talking, he kept eye contact. Once he realised that didn't help either, he sighed and pulled a detention slip from his desk drawer. Filling it in, he handed it over to the student and Bickslow signed it as well, two times, so he could keep the lower part as reminder and Mr. Conbolt could file the rest of it.

His signature showed that he had seen what his intended punishment was and promised to turn up. Refusing to do so lead to calls to legal guardians and worst case being dragged to the detention room by the guards. There was no suspension, no being thrown out. Here at Fairy Tail they seemed convinced everyone could change for the better, given the chance, just as long as you didn't give up on them, didn't make use of the principle 'out of sight out of mind'.

It was rather annoying, really.

The upside was the 'taking responsibility for your actions' part of the rules. Only if you refused to do that did the school involve anyone else, did they make any calls. The calls were only to get permission to forcefully punish you either way. It was expected of the parents to allow for it. That, or move their children to another school.

Taking the little paper slip with the time and date of his detention and the small scribbled signatures on it, he asked, “Am I allowed to leave?”

The principal gave a tired sigh. “Yes, you may leave. Get changed at least, will you?”

Walking back out into the hallway, Bickslow saw the blonde standing at the reception still, writing his report. Meeting the orange eyes, he almost managed to repress his smile and headed out to get to his dorm room and change his clothes.

Laxus swallowed hard. How the hell could Bickslow still look so cheerful after all that? Hearing the loud scolding the young man was greeted with back here had made even Laxus uncomfortable. Himself, he had also been through his fair share of reprimand in his youth, but not on this scale. He had no idea the usually so disciplined and calm principal could be that intimidating.

Laxus too had broken the rules, in a far worse way if he was to be completely honest. He had broken the law, again. Yet, he was praised behind the lie they told. He felt a little bad, writing it down.

On paper, he reported that he had found the student in the streets, just as Bickslow had said it. He had taken the young man back without meeting resistance, but the student had refused to explain himself, staying silent during the entire ride. He had not let on why he was dirty or why there was a bruise on him.

That mark had been a bad idea, a terrible one.

Why had he placed it in such a visible place, honestly? He had not thought that one through. When they arrived back on campus, Mr. Conbolt had wanted Bickslow to get examined because of it, but the teenager had refused, insisting that he was fine, and without parental approval the school wasn't allowed to force him to go to the nurse.

Beside that, it also made Laxus feel even more guilt. It was either because he had someone else in his life or because he had allowed himself to do that with the younger man. Whichever way he turned it, it was a bad feeling.

Signing his report, he handed it over to Ms. Astor and she looked it over quickly.

“He is a troubling boy. I wonder if he gets into fights a lot”, she murmured and Laxus gave an awkward shrug.

“Well, good job finding him. That is not always the case when he disappears”, the receptionist added happily and he forced the corners of his mouth up a little. Finding him… yea.

“I'll...”, he mumbled, pointing away in no specific direction and the woman nodded. “See you tomorrow Mr. Dreyar.”

  


Bickslow turned his pockets out as he headed into the detention room a few days later. They weren't allowed to have any kind of entertainment on them. No phones, games, music players or even a rubber band. Nothing.

They were supposed to think on what they had done, writing their contemplation down. It was so old fashioned and stupid. As if that honestly straightened anyone out. Ridiculous.

Today, he was in the classroom with only two others, and he recognised both. One was Max Alors from a year under, probably here for sleeping in class yet again. The other was more surprising. Sitting at a table with pen and paper before her was Lucy Heartfilia, arguably the hottest cheerleader in the entire school.

Taking his seat, Bickslow picked his pencil up, pretending to think hard. He already knew exactly what to write. Once you'd written one of these apology essays, you'd written them all.

“I... 'Insert what you did, or at least the part they know about' ...which I realise was wrong because... 'Some bullshit about how important the rule(s) you broke is/are and why. Copying what was written on the rules form you signed when starting at Fairy Tail was good enough'. I regret my actions and will aim to better myself. Bla bla, future, bla bla, goals, bla, sorry.”

Before long the teacher watching them walked outside for a moment. They always did at some point, going to get some more coffee or stretch their legs. It had to be as boring to supervise detention as it was having it.

Turning around in his chair, Bickslow nodded to the brown haired man in the other end of the room and Max gave an innocent shrug. “I can't help it.”

“I feel you”, the black and blue haired man chuckled.

He looked to the third person in the room and smirked, “Hey Cheerleader, what are you doing in detention? Did you sully your perfect record?”

The blonde didn't seem to find it very amusing at all. “We're not supposed to talk”, she hissed.

“Oh no. So sorry. I wouldn't want to end up in detention. Wait…”

Max huffed a laugh and the woman glared back at Bickslow firmly. She had very pretty brown eyes, distracting him just a little from her irritated facial expression. “What the hell is your problem?”

Shrugging a little, he mused, “I'm just curious how a little princess like you ended up in here with us hopeless lot.”

“None of your business.”

Chuckling, Bickslow got out of his chair and loomed over her. “True, but I am a very annoying person.”

“I can tell”, Lucy sighed dejected.

“Come on. Whisper it to just me”, the man teased, leaning in and cupping one hand around his ear playfully.

“Fine! Just get out of my face”, the blonde finally snarled and he smirked widely.

Quietly, she admitted, “I got drunk on a school night.” There was even a tiny blush on her face, very adorable.

“Ooooh. Really? I wouldn't have expected that from you, Blondie.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”, she snapped.

“I'm just saying. You're such a good student.”

“Yea well, it was a mistake and it won't happen again.”

At that, Bickslow took a seat on her desk, eyeing her essay. She really did seem concerned about the entire thing, mentioning her reputation in the text. She sure spelled better than he did at least and her penmanship was beautiful, very swirly but still clear and readable. It was much better than his cacography.

“You should add something about how alcohol is bad for our health or some shit”, he suggested playfully.

Meeting the brown eyes again, he teased, “Not doing it again sounds boring, though. You should come out with me tonight and I'll show you how to do it without getting caught.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, the blonde gave him a sceptical look. “You don't seem to have that quite figured out yourself, being in here.” She was a nice girl, but could give a bitchy stare that stung. It was kinda enticing to know she could be so fierce.

“I'm not here because of that.”

“What then?”

Shrugging, Bickslow said, “None of your business.”

“Okay, point taken. Tell me”, Lucy insisted and he smirked a little again.

“I ditched class. So, a teacher came after me and found me in town.”

Furrowing her eyebrows, the blonde gave him a look like he was the single stupidest being she had ever encountered. “Why would you do that?”

“I was bored.”

“You're an idiot”, she determined. If he wanted to ditch, he ought to have played sick or something instead. Just not turning up was obviously a bad call at this school. He had to know that much.

“True, but at least I know how to have a good time. I went drinking instead”, Bickslow grinned.

Seeing the shadow of their teacher through the glass door, he added quickly, “So, if you're interested, meet me at seven behind the main building”, before hopping back in his own chair.

  


Lucy looked down at her paper again, refocusing on the apology. “I know it is bad for my health and...” It was kind of hard to figure this out. She was good at writing essays, but not apologies. She'd never had to write one before.

Glancing over, she saw that Bickslow had almost filled his page. He seemed unconcerned, writing with a bored expression on his face. The guy wasn't entirely stupid after all, even if he acted the part.

She really didn't want to get in trouble with him, but if he managed to leave school grounds in the middle of the day, then maybe he knew some way to get past the walls that she wasn't aware of. It couldn't hurt to be with someone experienced in misconduct if she was going to break rules either way, now could it?

Besides, he did seem like fun. She had seen him on stage with his band, playing rock and single handedly entertaining half the school. From what she had heard, he was a womaniser, so he was surely very coquettish and playful. It sure seemed that way from his behaviour just now.

She wondered what kind of places he went to when he disappeared from campus. If he was the kind of guy that hung around in woods with some stoned group of idiots, she didn't want anything to do with it, but if he knew the locations of a few good parties, that could come in handy.

She just wanted to have some fun, that was all.

It wasn't like her father would find out, just as long as she signed any detention she might get if they were caught. She was hardly planning to break the law or anything and she hadn't done this a lot up until now. This was the first time she was ever caught. A few misconducts were acceptable, just as long as it didn't become a pattern, because then they had to inform her legal guardian of her behaviour.

Oh god, was she really going to do this?

Seeing the dark red eyes look back at her, she snapped her attention back to the half empty page before her.

She had until seven o'clock to decide either way. For now she had to fill the blank space on this page somehow.

  
  



	11. Just Some Fun

Bickslow smirked over both ears when he saw the blonde turn the corner. So he had been right, there was mischief in those innocent brown eyes. Still waters run deep.

The cheerleader came closer tentatively, seeming just a little nervous to be detected. It was kind of adorable. It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong, yet. She was clearly planning to, with that get up. High boots, short skirt and a girly top, a little matching blue bow in her hair, she had style.

It was almost as dashing as the cheerleader uniform. Whoever had designed those was a pervert and not even trying to hide it.

Sighing, the blonde warned, “Don't say it.”

He chuckled. “Say what?” He knew exactly what. Hadn't she warned him, he would have gone for it. It was too easy. 'I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me.' 'What a bad girl.' Something teasing along those lines.

“You're beautiful”, he said instead and she smiled a little.

“Thanks.”

Looking across the walkway and little park between them and the campus boundary, she eyed the high brick fence that was designed to keep them safe and contained. Climbing it wasn't an option. Even if you got past the pointy metal tips decorating the top, someone would most probably see you. “So how do we get out?”

Bickslow put his cigarette out and nodded her to follow.

Heading into the park, they ducked into a few thick bushes. Here, the wall had partially crumbled, the branches growing through it and pushing bricks out. The opening wasn't awfully big, but it was enough for the average teenager to squeeze through.

“Nature is our best friend”, Bickslow mused as he climbed through. He held a branch out of the way and Lucy followed carefully, making sure her skirt didn't catch on anything. She stumbled a little and the man caught her arm, steadying her.

“Careful Princess.”

“Why a princess?”, she wondered in amusement.

“You look like one”, he shrugged and the blonde blushed a little. Spouting one liners like that, he really was a womaniser, wasn't he? Shaking her head, she walked with him onto the street and down into the city itself.

“Where do you usually go?”, she wondered. She still had no idea what he was about, what to expect from him.

“Depends. I'd say a bar and later the clubs”, the man shrugged.

“You really think they would let us in? Or serve us for that matter?”

Bickslow giggled a little. “You are so innocent. Let me show you my world Baby.”

Scowling a little, Lucy gave him a glare. She was not some sort of little doll that had to be taken care of and shown around. She could handle herself just fine, thank you very much.

Noticing the irritation, the man explained, “They don't care if you're underage just as long as you pay. And especially not if you're that pretty. It's good for business.”

“You did bring a little cash, right?”, he asked.

“Of course.”

Lucy motioned to a cute little pouch hanging from her belt and the man made a face. “You're gonna loose that, almost guaranteed.”

“What do you suggest then?”

Turing around to the woman, he opened the pouch and realised she really did not know how careful she needed to be. She had her wallet with her, complete with credit card and all.

Holding it in front of her face demonstratively, he began, “First of all, only take a few bucks.”

“Second of all, girls have the advantage when it comes to this”, he smirked, hooking one finger into her cleavage and pushing the walled between her breasts

“OY!”

Lucy blushed, bringing her hands up protectively.

“Trust me. That's pretty much the only place you're gonna be able to keep it”, the man shrugged innocently.

“And what do you do exactly?”, she protested in a grumble, rearranging her bra so the money purse wouldn't lie uncomfortably. It's not like she hadn't made use of this trick before, but he was really not being a gentleman about it.

“Only take a few bucks and shrug it off when I lose them in the crowd.”

Smirking a little, he teased, “Having big boobs would really come in handy.”

“Idiot”, the blonde grumbled and he laughed heartedly.

He had to hold his stomach. The tiny pout on the cheerleader's face was just too much. She was so easy to tease, it was perfect. She came up to him and hit his arm with surprising strength and he flinched back. “Easy Princess. I'm just messing.”

Clicking her tongue, the blonde walked on past him and he followed with a bright grin.

  


Lucy picked the next best bar, opening the door and peering inside.

Bickslow was often here, partially because it was close by and partially because it was a typical hang for the guys and girls that later headed down to the queer clubs. He wondered if she knew that. Was he perhaps barking up the wrong tree?

Heading in after her, he wondered how he should find out. Just flirt or simply ask? Before he could decide, he saw a familiar face and cringed.

The psychologist was here. Typical. It was no big surprise, considering the guy hung around the clubs most evenings, but that didn't make it less of a hassle for Bickslow.

He had met the man in the club once or twice since their night, getting a drink. He always left after the first one, though, since the man had gotten a little too attached for comfort. It had started creeping Bickslow out just a little bit how the man's eyes followed him for entire nights when he danced.

That was usually very flattering, but who watched the same guy night after night? It wasn't normal. And he kept asking, making suggestions that they should go back to that hotel room. No way in hell.

The man spotted him and smiled, giving a small wave. Awkwardly turning his partner in crime back around, Bickslow lied about his reasons. “Too full in here. Lets go to another place instead.”

“It's not that full”, Lucy protested, but he dragged her along nonetheless.

“Yea it is.”

He picked another bar two streets further down instead, heading inside and ordering for them. Lucy did point out that the place was at the very least as crowded as the last, but he was pretty sure she had understood it wasn't about that. She was just asking him to be the one to admit it. That was not gonna happen.

  


Once nine o'clock came around, they headed into the clubs, the straight clubs for once. They drank and danced, and Lucy was letting loose like he hadn't ever imagined the good girl would. She was a lot of fun to be around and had a brilliant sense of humour.

Bickslow was left alone at the bar when some random guy dragged her onto the dance floor. He watched in amusement, seeing her smile over both ears. And boy, could she dance. He knew that already from seeing her cheer, but in his opinion, it looked even better when she moved freely like this, in harmony with music and lights. The man behind her was sure as hell loving the show he got.

He pulled her closer over time, feeling over her hips. Lucy did push him off a little, making it clear she didn't want quite that much contact, but that didn't seem to bother the guy in the least, at once making his next advance.

Bickslow kept his gaze fixed on them. If that man did anything, he was going to kick the bastard where it hurt. Why was it that some men were such fucking hounds? And they seemed to be everywhere. Sometimes there would even be straight guys coming in to queer clubs, harassing the women and asking them for threesomes. That was a pain in the ass to say the least.

Not that the opposite didn't happen too sometimes, but it wasn't nearly as pronounced.

When the man dancing with the blond cheerleader kissed her neck and pushed his hips forward to rub himself against her bottom, Bickslow got out of his chair. Before he had taken a single step, the blonde had taken care of the situation.

She turned around and rammed her elbow into the man's face before kneeing him in the stomach.

Looking to the bartenders, Bickslow pointed out, “Harassing Idiot knocked out over here.”

The man was swiftly removed by the bouncers and Lucy came back to the bar with a sigh.

“Nice work Cheerleader.”

“What an asshat”, she simply hissed, picking her drink back up.

Taking her arm, Bickslow stopped her, “Don't drink that.”

“Why not?”

“I forgot to watch it and with what just happened, who knows if its still clean.”

There were a couple of things she ought to learn if she wanted to go out like this more often, even if she clearly knew how to handle herself in a fistfight. A pretty young woman like her was sadly not safe in this society. It was sick, but true no less.

The bartender too gave her a meaning look and poured the drink out for her. “I can make you another half glass if you want”, he offered, but the blonde smiled and shook her head.

“I think I'm about ready to leave.”

  


On their way back through the bushes, Bickslow was the one caught stumbling on a branch in the dark. “Careful Knight”, the blonde teased and he chuckled a little.

“Knight, eh? I like that. Do I get a shining armour too?”

Lucy looked out of the bushes with worry. There was no one in sight, but the campus was patrolled by the guards now and again.

“Any tips on how I will get back to my room undetected?”

“Just act like nothing is out of the ordinary. Walk normally and calmly. If someone does stop you, tell them you had a nightmare and took a stroll to help you fall back asleep or something.”

“Lots of nightmares for you, hm?”, she joked and he nodded playfully.

“I do tend to get them.”

He walked out of the bush with her and smiled, “You're fun Princess. We should do this again sometime.”

The brown eyes inspected him for a moment.

“You're saying good night already?”

Frowning a little bit, he nodded, “I guess. Why? Did you have something else in mind?”

Shrugging innocently, Lucy came closer to him, placing one hand on his chest and looking up. She hesitated, making sure she wasn't doing anything he didn't want, and then leaned up and kissed him.

Bickslow wrapped his arms around the pretty woman, humming against those incredibly soft lips.

Okay, definitively not gay. Though he had suspected as much from the way she danced with that idiot before. Had the guy been a little less of an asshole, he might just have managed to get her attention. Bickslow figured he should be glad she hadn't been picked up by anyone else.

Opening his mouth slightly, he was happy she matched it and slipped his tongue past the woman's lips. The strawberry perfume on her was sweet, almost tricking his sense of taste as well.

“I like you”, the blonde whispered against his lips and he took a hold of her shoulders, pulling away at once. He realised it was a little sudden, the cheerleader blinking up at him in confusion, wondering what she had said wrong, but if she honestly liked him...

“I can't do this.”

“Why not?”

“I'm not really boyfriend material. I'm just playing around.”

“You think I don't know that?”

Bickslow raised an eyebrow at the blond woman.

“I know I'm supposed to be this posh girl that drinks tea and saves herself for marriage, but I'm just not. That's not me. I can't deal with being what everyone wants me to be. You allowed me to just be me today. It's not like I'm in love with you, but this right here, this is fun”, she explained, stroking her fingers over his tank top.

“So you're saying…?”, he asked, pointing between them. He had to be sure he understood this right.

Lucy nodded slowly, like she was glad he finally caught up. “Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying. I wanna be with you and have sex with you even if it is just the both of us letting loose a little”, she spelled it out.

A toothy grin spread over Bickslow's face. “Nice.”

The blonde took a hold of him and dragged him back into the bushes until she stood with her back against the wall, him right before her.

“Woah, Cheerleader, I didn't think you'd be this eager”, he chuckled, but she clasped a hand over his mouth. “Shhh.”

Glancing around, he realised a guard had appeared between the buildings and quietly sniggered at his own stupidity.

Once the man was gone, he made to walk away, but Lucy didn't let go of him. “I am that eager, thought”, she teased before kissing him and running her hands under his clothes.

Humming, Bickslow enjoyed the caress for a moment.

“Then I know a better place.”

  



	12. Girlfriend

Lucy looked around the music room with interest. She had heard that the rock band had been given a room up here, but it was far smaller than she had imagined. “So this is where you practice? I had expected something more.”

“Nope. This is it. This is where the magic happens”, Bickslow chuckled as he closed the door behind them.

The black and blue haired man flopped down on the couch. His eyes inspected her from head to toe. It was clear he was more restless than he wanted to let on. The soft cloth of his cargos definitively didn't help him hide it. He was pitching a tent just at the promise.

To think she would ever like some annoying 'bad boy' she met in detention, and that after just one night out, but here they were. He really was a lot of fun, crazy as he might be. And he didn't think himself to have the right to other people's attention like some seemed to. Most importantly, he was respectful when it counted.

His overconfident act seemed to be more of a defence mechanism than anything else. Perhaps that was true for most, though.

Smiling, she walked over to him, slipping into his lap and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Feeling him hard underneath her, she shifted a little and got a soft moan out of him, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

The dark red eyes opened again and Bickslow let out a long breath to calm himself. His hands came up to rest on the blonde's wide hips. “When you said 'be with'?”, he asked, surprising Lucy with his restraint. She had expected him to take control and go for it, like most boys would have.

Shrugging a little, she answered. “I thought we could date for a little bit. It could be fun.”

One blue eyebrow raised and she sighed. “Aright, okay. It is mostly so no one will ask. I have a reputation to uphold. I don't even want to be exclusive or anything.”

The usual crazy grin returned to the man's face at that. Laxus had said he ought to find something more than a lay and now he had a very tempting offer literally sitting in his lap. For the entire night, he had hardly even thought about the man. It had been great.

“Sounds like fun.”

Bucking a little to tease back, he enjoyed the playfully smile on his new girlfriend's face. She leaned in once more, kissing him and running her hands through his hair before tugging at his top.

Taking it off, he had already expected her to react to the red marks on his skin. One on the neck, okay, everyone knew he slept around either way, but this was more than an innocent little hickey. Laxus's love bites were still well visible all over, marking him as claimed.

“Who did you sleep with? An octopus?”, Lucy asked, eyeing his upper body, and he laughed aloud.

“Close.”

“It was nice, though”, he added playfully and the blonde shook her head a little.

“Just as long as you don't expect _me_ to make a habit of it. I don't usually chew on people.”

Bickslow laughed aloud at that.

“Don't worry Princess, I have no intentions of becoming a long-term chewing toy either.”

Lucy smiled at him. Leaning in, she pressed her lips over the darkest of the hickies, the one she had seen all day, placed visibly on the right side of his neck. She had thought that was all there was to it, but no, he was covered in love bites all the way down to his hips. Hearing the guitarist draw in a sharp breath, she realised it still stung a little. Whoever had placed the mark had to have intended for it to stick for a while. “Must have been a very possessive girl.”

He wished.

Not commenting on it further, he ran his hands up under her top and urged it off her body. Going for the lace bra, he remembered she still had her wallet in it. The money purse fell out as he unhooked the clasp behind her back and she sniggered a little.

“At least it's still there. I lost my change”, Bickslow teased, picking it from his lap and tossing it to the floor together with the bra.

“Yea, you were right. The button I had in my pouch is gone. Who steals a button, honestly?”

“I love the sound of that. 'You were right', very nice”, Bickslow mused, running his hands over the blonde's ample breasts.

“Oh shut up.”

Agreeing that there were better things to do than talk, he sat up properly and mouthed over the soft skin, teasing one nipple with lips and tongue. Gaining a pleased hum, he kept going on the other side until he could feel her hands pulling at his belt.

She sat back ever so little, just enough to be able to open his trousers and tug his clothes out of the way. Easing into his lap again, she gave him a sinful tease, only the thin cloth of her panties still between them.

His hands once more found her hips, holding her in place to make her stop shifting against him. The blonde chuckled in amusement, enjoying just how easily the man lost his composure. He didn't even try to hide it either.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Bickslow wondered, “Do you have a condom? Cause I lost mine with the change.”

“I do”, Lucy nodded. She got up to fish her wallet from the floor and pick it out. Handing it over, she sat down beside Bickslow, watching as he ripped the foil and rolled the rubber on. His dark red eyes were focused on her as he stroked down his cock, making sure the protection sat comfortably.

She waited for a moment, used to being pushed onto her back right about now, but he still made no move to take control. It was somewhat surprising he would be this passive. “Nervous?”, she wondered and he huffed a small laugh.

“Not really. I just want you to show me what you want to do.”

“Is that so?”, the blonde mused.

Once more, she placed herself in his lap. If he really wanted that, then she was more than willing to play. Taking a hold in his hair, she forced his head back so his neck was exposed. Finding the red mark again, she bit down on it, the man hissing and jerking underneath her. She made sure the hickey grew in size, so that whomever had placed it there would know it had been replaced.

Bickslow was her boyfriend now and even if she had no intention of keeping any tight hold on him, she wanted to make sure no one else thought they could either. She wasn't usually much for love bites, but this was an exception.

Inspecting the red skin, she realised it had to hurt, but the man made no complain. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy it, his eyes half lidded and his breathing hard.

Bickslow loved that she covered the mark up with one of her own. He didn't feel as claimed any more. That had been great when Laxus did it, when they were out there in the woods, alone and caught in a moment of heat. It had shown him just how much Laxus wanted them to be, but now it just kept reminding him that they couldn't and that no other man would be able to compare to the blonde.

Every time the orange eyes found his neck in class, he would feel that emptiness in his chest again. Now the teacher could look, could realise he had been replaced. It wouldn't feel like Bickslow was sitting there and waiting for the other any more.

Feeling Lucy sit up a little, he didn't try to move or look. He just waited for her to take away the pain, to show him he was desired.

The blonde tugged her underwear out of the way and eased down on him with a sigh of pleasure. Groaning his own ecstasy, Bickslow felt himself come back to life, was once more convinced he could overcome any hardship.

Lucy moved up a little before letting herself fall again, feeling his cock hit her cervix, his hands grasping her hips tighter. Loving that the man didn't hold back his moan, didn't try to assert his masculinity or take his own pleasure, she kept going. To be allowed to control everything like this, it was far better than any other lay she had ever had.

Picking her own rhythm, she vocalised her pleasure. She kept holding his head in place just to know that she could, that she was the one in charge, one-hundred percent.

Bickslow relished in the sight, the woman taking everything she wanted, needing this moment just as much as him. Not for a second did she give in or try to urge him into action. She was perfectly content leading and he loved it. There was no need for him to think or to perform. He just had to sit there and adore every second, every sight and sound. All he had to do was let her need him for tonight.

Lucy reached down to caress herself while she moved, circling two fingers over her clit and tensing her body in the hunt for release. Gasping aloud, she found it, clenching around Bickslow's cock and unintentionally pulling at his hair. The man groaned underneath her, digging his fingers into her skin as he felt her quiver and tighten.

Finally letting go of the blue hair, she instead ran her fingers over his shoulders in a loving caress. It took a moment for her to find it in herself to open her eyes again, but once she did, she saw the man smiling at her with soft eyes. Hadn't she know better, she would have thought he was in love.

“Fuck you are beautiful when you come.”

Blushing a little, Lucy sniggered at the comment. “What the hell?”

“What? It's true”, Bickslow defended.

He ran a hand up her side and urged her closer, kissing her tenderly as she came down from her endorphins induced high.

“You really are oddly romantic, you know that right?”, the blonde teased.

“Only when I'm with such a beauty.”

“Idiot”, she sighed at the cheesy line. It was almost a little lame compared to his other shenanigans. Removing herself from his lap, she instead sat on her knees beside him on the couch. She nuzzled against his cheek, reaching down to pull the condom off his cock. Wrapping a hand around it, she stroked up the length.

Kissing the blonde, Bickslow mumbled, “You really don't have to you know.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. “You don't even want to finish?”

“Only if you want to see it”, he shrugged. It wasn't about that, not tonight. He had gotten what he wanted and needed, to see her enjoy him.

The blonde looked back at him thoughtfully for a moment before stopping and sitting back comfortably. She wouldn't complain if she could get her kicks without having to give back. If her pleasure was what Bickslow was about, then she had just found the best possible boarding school boyfriend to play around with.

“You're very odd, but in a good way.”

“I'm glad you think so”, Bickslow chuckled, cuddling against her side.

He was well aware that most guys his age were very different in bed. He had more than enough first hand experience of it to know that much. It was mostly an unsorted and eager scramble, a rather egoistic and hurried taking.

It wasn't like he minded the hormones driven desire those adolescents showed. Being on the receiving end of that kind of desperate need was exactly what he wanted, but it was easy to see why he seemed like an odd one out. He was what most seemed to interpret as submissive.

What he wanted was to observe, to be someone's object of desire for the night. Perhaps that was why Laxus captivated him so. The man was so firm and stoic, but once they were alone, that calm man melted and all his discipline was forgotten. The cool-headed stud became a growling and groaning mess of need. It was intoxicating.

No. He wasn't supposed to be thinking of the man right now. Hiding his face against the cheerleader's neck, he instead focused on inhaling her sweet scent until they had to leave here and sneak back to their rooms.

He was going to be dead tired come morning, but this had easily been worth it.

Feeling the soft hands caressing over his skin again, he sighed in content.

  



	13. An Unwanted Visitor

“Excuse me Young Lady, do you know where everyone is?”

Lucy stopped in her tracks, surprised at the approach. A dark haired man stood by the empty reception, looking somewhat confused. Smiling a little, she answered helpfully, “Just wait a few minutes. The receptionist will be by soon enough.”

“Okay. Thank you”, the man nodded, scratching his chin a little in a nervous gesture.

Inspecting the man, Lucy raked her mind. Had she not seen this man somewhere before? It felt like she had. She was almost sure of it.

“Are you here to meet someone?”, she wondered, trying to remember.

“Yes. A student. Bickslow, do you know him?”

That didn't really help her put a finger on who this man was, but his face was so familiar. Had she perhaps seen him on a picture somewhere?

“Are you a relative?”

The man shook his head, seeming a little awkward. “Not exactly, no. Are you a friend of his?”, he returned the question instead of really answering.

The young woman nodded, shaking his hand as she intruded herself, “I'm his girlfriend, Lucy. Nice to meet you.”

She was happy to have Bickslow as her boyfriend for the time being. He was good fun, and not just when they went out. She had also gotten to know Gajeel and Levy when she joined them in the music room to watch their practice sessions. The bluenette made for a great studying partner and was at least as fascinated by literature as Lucy herself.

“I'm Tomas, an... erhm, acquaintance”, the man introduced himself in turn, seeming even more nervous all of a sudden.

“For how long have you two been dating if I may ask?”, he wondered carefully.

Shrugging, the blonde answered, “Maybe two weeks or so.”

“You... I... I really don't want to ruin anything for you”, the man began, wringing his hands together now. “...but I think you have a right to know. Bickslow, he... is not faithful to you. He sleeps with others, with men he meets in a club in town.”

“Okay...”

Lucy frowned at the visitor. Who was this man to know something like that? She had figured as much, that Bickslow was having sex with others when he disappeared into town without her. It wasn't like that bothered her. But why did this guy know?

“I know this is not the nicest way to find out something like that”, the man almost apologised.

“Not really”, she shrugged.

That was when Bickslow entered the building as well. His eyes slimmed as he spotted the middle aged man she was speaking with. Coming to her side, he put an arm around her waist almost protectively.

“Tomas? What the hell are you doing here?”, he questioned.

Looking between the two of them, he added, “And why are you talking to my girlfriend?”

“I came to talk to you”, the man answered with a serious air. He seemed concerned about something, like he was a messenger of bad news.

Bickslow on the other hand didn't have any intentions of listening. “About what? How do you even know I go here?”, he asked irritably.

Tomas made a vague gesture. “Your name is rather unusual.”

“What the fuck dude? Are you stalking me or something?”

The man had been at the club far too consistently, always offering, always asking, and now he was here. This couldn't seriously be happening. Bickslow was highly uncomfortable.

“Could we talk alone?”, the man asked and he tensed physically.

Lucy noticed her boyfriend was troubled by the other's presence. Whomever that was, she felt like she should protect him from. “Anything you've got to say, you can say in front of me”, she determined.

“What she said”, the black and blue haired man confirmed at once, glad to have her backing him up.

“Fine. Bickslow, you need help. It doesn't do to keep jumping beds to handle rejection and it definitely doesn't do to hurt a girl's feelings in the process. I am a psychologist, I can help you”, Tomas explained in a rather stern tone of voice. He made it sound like the other had little choice, even though they all knew the opposite was true.

“You're obviously not a very good one”, Lucy snapped and the man gave her a baffled stare.

“Excuse me?”

Taking a step forward and placing her hands on her hips, the cheerleader spoke her mind. “You don't know anything about him. Or about me. I know that he's bi and I was the one that made it clear that we are not exclusive. He isn't hurting anyone's feelings. You on the other hand seem completely oblivious to the fact that your presence upsets him. Leave now or I will call campus security to remove you. Only students, staff members, and family and friends are allowed here.”

Tomas growled at the young woman getting in his way. He pointed a finger at her threateningly. “Look here Little Lady, if you think you can order adults around, you are sorely mistaken.”

“Leave her alone”, Bickslow hissed.

Just as he feared things would escalate, Laxus appeared in the corridor, his loud voice booming as he demanded, “What is going on here?!”

Relief ran through the young man's body as he heard that dark voice coming to his rescue. Even now that they had barely exchanged a word for half a month, he felt protected in the teacher's presence, more so than was normal for a student.

Lucy pointed at Tomas and requested, “Mr. Dreyar, please remove this man.”

Walking over to the little gathering, Laxus glared at the dark haired man. “You heard the girl. Leave campus grounds on your own or I will have you escorted.” He had seen enough to not question the fact that his man was not welcome at Fairy Tail. No one threatened the students. No one.

The man raised his hands defensively. “Fine. I'm leaving.” Pointing to the teenager he had sought out, he declared, “But you need help, Bickslow. You really do.”

“Piss off!”, the black and blue haired man spat and he finally walked away.

There was a mixture of feelings battling in Bickslow's chest that he couldn't quite sort out right now. It was too much, all of it too intense, but among it was definitively anger.

Laxus put a hand on his shoulder, turning him around softly. Meeting the dark red eyes, he saw worry in them, fear even. “Who was that?”, he asked seriously.

“Just an acquaintance. I really thought he was a nice guy. Turns out he's a creep with a misplaced psychology degree”, Bickslow shrugged in answer, trying to play it off. He knew Laxus could tell how unsettling he found this entire thing despite his effort to hide it, and he knew the man could guess what 'acquaintance' meant without him spelling it out.

“Are you sure you're okay?”, Laxus wondered and he nodded a little.

God, he both hated and loved that caring voice. He wanted to hug the blonde, kiss him and be taken care of, but at the same time he just wanted Laxus to stop acting like he was a child that needed that kind of comfort.

Sighing a little, the blonde let go of his shoulders again, leaving a disappointing cold in his wake.

“Well, you two better get back to your homework or whatever mischief you're up to.”

Lucy nodded obediently. “Yes Mr. Dreyar. Thank you.”

Watching the two teenagers walk away, Laxus's stomach promised to give up on him. He was angry, disappointed, relieved, worried, everything at once. Who was that man and what the hell did he want with Bickslow? And why did it have to be so hard to support the teenager as teacher, just as teacher?

  


Sitting on the couch in the music room, Bickslow realised just how nervous that man truly made him. He was even shaking lightly, his hands unable to stay still. The thought of running into that guy again somewhere in town was scary.

“You actually had sex with that guy?”, Lucy asked in disbelief and he nodded.

“Yea. I did.”

“He's so much older than you”, she commented and Gajeel huffed a laugh.

“So what? As long as it's a good fuck.”

At that, Bickslow found his smile again. “It was aright. Would have been better if he'd left it at that, though.”

“You are crazy, you know that right?”, Levy sniggered.

“Aware.”

He turned to his girlfriend. There was something she had said that still lingered in his mind. “How did you know I was bisexual?”

She shrugged and explained, “I didn't, but the guy was pissing me off.”

“Gyha. This is the reason I like you so much. So innocent looking, but so fierce”, Bickslow mused, giving her a peck.

“Just don't become a creepy stalker when I dump you”, the blonde teased and he huffed a laugh.

“You dumping me? Who said it would be that way around, hah?”

Smirking, she answered confidently, “You won't be able to leave me out of your own accord.”

“As if, Cheerleader. As if.”

“You two are going to give me cavities”, Gajeel grumbled and the blonde gave him a teasing wink.

“Well, be careful when you go out at least”, Levy requested and Bickslow nodded.

“Yea, yea, I know. Don't be alone, don't drink anything you aren't sure about, keep keys between your knuckles if you think something might happen and walk toward crowds if someone follows you. It's not like I intend to invite him to hang out in a dark alley. I got it Bookworm.”

It wasn't like Levy had allowed him to sleep through her little self-defence lesson. She worried about him, because she cared, and he appreciated it.

“It's just a little freaky, especially considering that he had my cock in his mouth at one point.”

“Please spare me the details”, the bluenette sighed and he sniggered a little.

“Oh, but that was quite fun actually. He was really into it, giving...”

“NO!”, Levy insisted loudly and they laughed heartedly, Bickslow almost collapsing as he held his stomach.

“You're too easy.”

“Shut up, Idiot.”

“Gyhaha!”

  



	14. Tutor

Laxus sorted his notes as he waited.

He was going to give private tutoring for the first time in his life. Someone in his class was failing pretty much every subject other than languages and Mr. Conbolt had given him the job of trying to avoid that somehow.

As most others in the teacher's program, he had entertained a small job on the side to fund his studies, helping younger kids with their homework as assigned by a 'real teacher', but this was the first time he would actually tutor from his own material.

Having read all about it and aced the practice sessions, he was feeling fairly confident. He had even gone so far as taking the course on how to identify certain learning difficulties. He was by no means allowed to diagnose anything officially, but knowing when to send a student to evaluation was very valuable, especially for the student in question. Spending hours on trying to teach someone with dyscalculia mathematics in a classic way would not only tear on a teacher's nerves but demotivate the student and perhaps make him or her less receptive in the long run.

Also, it was a great merit if you wanted to work in a place like Fairy Tail. It was standard procedure that anyone struggling with the work got extracurricular help. 'The school that leaves no student behind', as the great catchphrase went.

Laxus wasn't actually sure which student it was that he would be teaching, seeing as all of them had delivered enough work that was at least at passing grade during his short time here. The student had to have performed very badly for a good while before Laxus arrived to land an average evaluation below passable in the system.

Whether the improvement was a coincident or a consequence of his teaching style, he wouldn't dare guess. As so many smart men had said before him, don't take praise when times are good if you don't want to take the blame when they are bad.

He had been promised copies of the students records and previous work as they moved forward, but the private classes began right away. No time was to be waisted on technicalities, a wise choice.

He looked up as the door opened and repressed a sigh. Of course, with his luck, it was Bickslow that entered.

“Yo”, the black and blue haired man mumbled, clearly equally unhappy to be here. He closed the door behind himself and then stalked over to the master's desk. Flopping down in the empty chair beside the blonde, he put his pencil and eraser before himself demonstratively.

Sitting this close was supposed to make it easier to see the student's work and help out if needed, but knowing whom he was helping, Laxus instantly regretted following the guidelines.

“So you are the student that's failing”, he began, trying to get the awkward air out of the room somehow.

“Afraid so.”

Clearing his throat, the blonde determined, “Well, lets just stay professional and do this.”

“Whatever”, Bickslow sighed and he took a long breath to make sure his voice was calm before warning his student, “Show some respect. I'm working overtime for this you know.”

“Yes, Mr. Dreyar.”

It still sounded very cocky, but Laxus would accept it for the time being. At least Bickslow seemed to try not to be as defensive. Himself, the blonde could remember all too well how hard that was to do. Even when he hadn't intend to come of as disrespectful, he still often had in the past.

Starting with maths, he placed the worksheet before the student and leaned back, giving Bickslow space to think.

First observe. Then interact.

The black and blue haired man picked his pencil up and leaned over the paper. He rested his chin on one hand and tapped the end of his pen against the table, looking bored out of his mind. Occasionally, he scribbled down a number and whenever he did, it was correct.

“Think aloud”, Laxus prompted, trying to understand what was taking the young man so long. These questions weren't exactly complicated and while Bickslow seemed able to answer them, it couldn't take him this much time if he wanted to do well on the end of term exam.

Sighing audibly, the younger man shrugged a little. The instruction seemed to irritate him a lot. From there on he didn't really do much of anything any more, just eyeing the paper.

Was there some kind of mental blockade there?

“Do you not understand the work?”, Laxus wondered and he shook his head.

“Nope.”

“Which part? Read it again and think aloud. Try to pinpoint where you get stuck”, the blonde tried, but Bickslow just glanced down at the text about apple tree growth and harvest volumes and then looked back up at him again with a bored expression.

Personally, Laxus thought the question was a rather good one. It applied the principles to reality and made it clear why it was useful to learn optimisation no matter what you planned to work with in the future.

“At least try”, he prompted.

“Why?”

That baffled the teacher. “Really? Why?”

Bickslow shrugged a little. “How long do we have to be here exactly?”, he asked instead and the blonde realised what this was about. The teenager had absolutely no intention of making use of his extra tutoring. He had been forced to come here and was waiting the time out. The only reason he did a little was to get Laxus to stop discussing with him.

That was not going to work in this classroom. No way would he let the teenager get away with it. Bickslow had no idea whom he was trying to take on if he thought his shenanigans would get him anywhere with Laxus Dreyar.

“Until you finish your work”, the blonde stated. “And if it so takes all night. I have time and need little sleep”, he added pointedly, making it clear he knew exactly what the other was up to and that he wasn't about to accept it.

The black and blue haired man gave a dissatisfied groan and got to it. Suddenly, the problems in front of him didn't seem very complicated any more.

It troubled Laxus that the teenager was showing such a profound lack of motivation, but at least he was finally doing his work.

Watching the younger man, he couldn't help put notice the red mark on the teenager's neck had disappeared entirely now. It hadn't gone past him that the hickey had grown before. That had surely been Lucy's doing. He had seen the way those two interacted as of lately. Especially that moment at the reception had been a sign.

Why on Earth Land did he have to feel so jealous?

It was great if Bickslow had found someone he could be with, just as Laxus himself had someone. He shouldn't be sulking. He should be glad, or relieved, or something positive at least. What he should be doing, in his position, was to be happy for Bickslow that he had found a sensible and clever girl.

Even knowing that, he still couldn't feel it.

To Lucy he really was nothing more than the teacher of a parallel class, though, and no matter how much he hated it, he was a little concerned about her sudden new relationship.

He didn't like to think of Bickslow that way, but a good girl that started hanging out with a trouble maker, it practically always went one of two ways. Either, it would cause her grades to drop because she lost motivation and discipline, or it would motivate Bickslow to do better so he could impress her. The latter did not seem to be the case from this lesson to judge.

“So, Lucy is your girlfriend?”, Laxus began carefully.

Bickslow glared back at his teacher. The blonde was not seriously going to go there, was he? “What was that about staying professional?”, he hissed instead of answering.

“I'm just asking because...” Laxus sighed a little. If Lucy and Bickslow were a couple, did that mean she was willing to take this risk on her lifestyle and did she know what she had gotten herself into with the young man, or was he playing her? Laxus wasn't proud to admit he had done that kind of thing in his past and the two of them seemed so very alike. “Does she know?”

The teenager rolled his eyes. “About what? Do you really think I would tell anyone?”, he grumbled. Of course no one else knew that the two of them had something brooding between them. If it came out, he would never hear the end of it.

There would be rumours about him sleeping up his grades and he could surely kiss the concerts goodbye too. He would become the verbal punching bag of the entire school, if not the physical one as well. Been there, done that. No thanks. Though, at the last school it had been about him being gay. Not that he was. He was bi, thank you very much.

“No, I mean that you...” Laxus sought for the right words, but the teenager didn't give him the time to think. He was already caught in defensive aggression.

“That I fuck around? What's it to you?”, he snapped.

Turning to the younger man with his entire body, Laxus got to the point. “Just don't play with her. She's a good girl. If you aren't honest with her, you could...”

The black and blue haired man interrupted in a snarl, “Laxus. None of your fucking business, aright?”

Laxus realised that it sounded mean. He didn't intend to be, but surely it did not look that way from Bickslow's perspective. Having your relationships questioned was never a very pleasant experience. Seeing that they were not currently in the calm and casual atmosphere that sometimes spread between them, he gave in for the time being.

“Aright. Okay.”

There was an awkward silence as the student turned his attention back to the worksheet. He wrote almost hastily now, irritation evident in the air around him.

Just great to have Laxus of all people lecturing him about how he wasn't good for the cheerleader. As if he didn't fucking know that himself. That was why he had pulled back from her kiss to begin with. That was exactly why he had hesitated until he knew exactly what she was looking for, and it was why he hadn't even considered she could be interested in him, in being casual and indecent.

But of course the blonde was concerned. He was a teacher and it was his job to keep them all safe and lead them on the right path toward greatness. Or well, at least Lucy that was. Had their roles been reversed, Bickslow was sure he would have prodded as well. Especially when it was between the two of them. Usually, they could talk about this kind of stuff when they were alone.

He was just so frustrated with everything, so jealous of Laxus's partner, so pissed at these lessons he was forced to, so disappointed that Laxus wasn't on his side with his new relationship, and just generally so damn angry at the entire world.

Finally putting his pencil down, he sighed.

“She knows I don't like her that way and she doesn't care. She was just looking for a good time as well.”

“What?”, Laxus frowned.

“You heard me. Appearances can deceive. Like a student and a teacher, tutoring”, Bickslow snapped, scooting the paper over to him.

“Point taken”, the blonde almost apologised.

“Besides, you're the one deceiving his girlfriend”, the teenager hissed, picking his things off the table and leaving the room.

Laxus stared after him for a full minute.

It stung to hear it spoken aloud, and especially in that angry tone of voice. Guilt once more crawled under his skin.

He knew that it was mean to keep secrets like these, but so far the both of them were happy with the arrangement. It wasn't like he intended to tell Mirajane he hadn't been serious to begin with once he broke it off. Some romances just didn't work out, and this would look exactly like one of those.

It seems he was wrong after all. There was a big difference between him and Bickslow.

He should have realised it sooner, like back when they ditched together and the teenager had told him straight to the face, “You're worse than me.” With that in mind, it seemed silly to even consider the young man could have deceived Lucy.

This was one of the teenager's great strengths, wasn't it? He was honest in a very raw way when it came to social relations. He was the exact opposite of Laxus in that regard, the blonde finding it difficult to admit to as much as enjoying someone's company.

And that was probably part of what had Laxus hooked. The teenager never hid his intentions or soft-pedaled his opinions to spare someone's feelings. It was brutal somehow, but in an almost pure way. The black and blue haired man lived what so many preached about friendship and love. Be honest. Be real.

Bickslow hadn't ever acted like he wasn't interested in the blonde, just waiting for the older man to show the same, to finally say it. Laxus had in the meantime tried to lie even to himself and it wasn't really going his way.

To tutor the teenager in these conditions was going to be rough.

Looking down at the worksheet, Laxus realised most of it was correct. Bickslow had made a few mistakes, especially toward the end, but it was solid. He knew this stuff. So why didn't he show that he did?

  


 


	15. Grounded

Laxus sighed as his alarm sounded, somewhat relieved but also greatly disappointed to be awoken.

His dream had been amazing and awful. Yet again, his student had invaded his sleeping mind. It happened far too often for comfort and every single time it was about sex. That probably had to do with the fact that every time they interacted as two men rather than teacher and student, that happened to be the inevitable outcome.

Every time he went to bed, he dreamt of the other, the black and blue haired man panting against his ear in pleasure. That intoxicating melodic voice even followed him after he woke up some days. Today was definitively one of them.

This time they had been in the classroom of all places. The teenager had been leaning over the master's desk, stark naked, presented in all his beauty, and just too damn perfect in every way. Stretching his back out like a cat in heat, he had been asking for it, the perfect 'come on' on his face, the best possible pleading 'please take me' shining in those mesmerising eyes.

That image would be hard to keep away during the day, sitting at that very table with that very man in the same room.

Picking his phone up, Laxus turned the alarm off before sitting up.

The silky beddings were not really his taste, the texture annoying him a bit. And the drapes were too flowery and happy. It was all just a little to cheery. He had thought it beautiful when first seeing this room, but now he saw little good in it any more. The entire décor just kept reminding him, this wasn't his room. He didn't belong here.

He was at her place again. Mirajane stretched slowly beside him, sighing in her adorable tired way. Looking up at him, she smiled warmly, and he swallowed hard. She had no idea. It was true, he was awful.

Since Bickslow had snapped at him last week, he had contemplated breaking it off several times, but he wouldn't be able to go on without some sort of distraction. This white haired beauty was able to calm him down, to take his mind off things at least for a little while. She gave him the motivation to at least try and move on from the young man he wasn't allowed to have.

Getting up, he began to dress.

“I could make pancakes for breakfast. What do you think?”, Mirajane asked sweetly but Laxus shook his head.

“I'll just grab something on the way. There is something I need to do.”

“Oh. Okay. I'll see you at work then”

“Yea. Later.”

Grabbing his shirt, he fled the room, buttoning it up on his way to the door. He didn't actually have anything to do, but he didn't want to get all domestic with the woman. As often as he fled with these kinds of lame excuses, she had to have noticed that something was wrong by now, that he wasn't really committed. Or maybe she just thought he was this stale.

He might as well use the time to look over some of the book reviews he had collected from his students yesterday. Grabbing a breakfast meal from one of the cafés, he drove for work.

Once at Fairy Tail, he came across someone he was less than happy to see. The odd 'acquaintance' that had unsettled Bickslow was standing at the reception, dressed in suit and with briefcase in hand, looking mighty important.

The guy had chosen the wrong morning to annoy Laxus with his existence.

Unless he had a damn good reason to be here, and one that had absolutely nothing to do with the black and blue haired man, Laxus was going to make sure he would never ever dare come back here again.

“Ms Astor”, he greeted before turning to the man. “And your name was?”

The dark haired man tensed visibly when he realised the blonde recognised him. “Tomas Holt”, he introduced himself politely, holding out one hand with a slight tremble.

Eyeing the hand shortly, Laxus grumbled, “What brings you here, may I ask?”

“I.. eh...”

“He is here to see Bickslow about...”, the receptionist began helpfully, but that was as much as Laxus needed to hear.

Eyes fixed on the other man, he snarled, “Lets walk.” He wasn't asking, and Tomas seemed to realise that as well. He swallowed hard and followed the blonde outside, surely not eager to have his intentions revealed and the police involved.

Laxus led him around the corner so they wouldn't be in view for the students eating breakfast in the mess hall. In the relative privacy, he turned to the dark haired man, glaring with death written all over his face.

“I'm really not looking for trouble”, Tomas began and he clicked his tongue in disgust.

“I don't know what the fuck kind of reaction you expect from Bickslow if he were to see you here. He told you already that he wants nothing to do with you. Which part of 'piss off' didn't you understand? Do you need me to clarify it for you?” Cracking his knuckles, Laxus emphasised the threat.

“I'm just trying to help”, the man tried and he lost his patience. It didn't matter to him if it were lies or delusions. This 'psychiatrist' was pissing him off. Even if Bickslow needed help, it would sure as hell not from this guy. He took a hold of the man's wrist and collar, slamming him against the wall and wringing his arm behind his back.

Making sure the hold hurt, he growled darkly, “We both know exactly what you want from him and I am telling you, you aren't getting it. This is my final warning, if you as much as look at Bickslow again, I will come after you. I won't call the police and give you a chance to talk your way out of it, no, I will personally hunt you down and make sure you regret the day you were born.”

“Clear?”, he hissed and Tomas nodded ever so little.

Letting the man go, Laxus crossed his arms over his chest. There was no need for him to say anything more. The dark haired man picked his briefcase back up and hurried off, leaving campus.

Taking a deep breath, Laxus sorted his thoughts and then headed over to the gates. He greeted the guard and then nodded toward the man he had chased off. “Any chance you could make sure he does not return?”

“Why?”, the obvious question was asked.

Laxus didn't actually want anyone to know who that was if it could be at all avoided. It was not criminal to offer someone counselling and Bickslow was old enough that whatever had happened between the two wasn't illegal either.

To get someone for stalking was really hard to do. Laxus knew that from one of his studying colleagues. She had her ex after her for three years and he only got a slap on the wrist even after she had recorded his harassment in a million and one ways. A restraining order only did that much when the person it was issued against fled the scene as soon as you called for help. That did not take away the constant fear.

If the school heard of it they were bound to try and take legal action, because it was their responsibility to do so. That would force Bickslow to talk about how he met this Tomas character and why the man was so fascinated with him.

These kinds of procedures could quickly get ugly with all the stigma there was around homosexuality, promiscuity, and especially age differences.

No seventeen-year-old should have to explain to some unknown suits why it was he choose to sleep with an older guy, have to go into detail about how he managed to cause a grown man to melt at his touch. Bickslow should not have his sexuality or his sexual behaviour questioned and recorded just because this lunatic couldn't take a no.

In order to avoid all that, Laxus lied a little. “He's some racist asshole.” It wasn't something they could prove or officially ban someone for, but it was incentive enough.

“He will not bother our students further”, the other man agreed to it, giving him a meaning look. There was no way this guy would be allowed back through those gates unless accompanied by the principal himself.

Now he just had to make sure that the creep wouldn't be able to engage Bickslow in town either.

He didn't wait until it was time for their tutoring. Right after school, he asked the black and blue haired man to stay and Bickslow crossed his arms over his chest, waiting impatiently for the others to leave.

It was clear he was cross with Laxus, reacting defensively to pretty much everything the blonde did.

For the entire week, he had turned up to their private lessons, but he merely sat down, wordlessly did his work and then left again. Only when he really didn't understand, he shoot the teacher a glare and let the blonde explain it to him so he could get it over with and leave.

Laxus had already realised that the teenager was far smarter than he let on. Not only did he know a lot of the work he had pretended not to understand, but he learned very quickly once he actually tried. Whatever had the younger man so unmotivated, he couldn't guess.

Once even Levy and Gajeel had left, Laxus closed the door and turned back to his student. “I don't want you leaving campus for a while.”

That really annoyed the young man. “What? Why?”, he demanded, the dark red eyes slimming.

“That 'acquaintance' of yours has been lurking around. I told the guards he isn't welcome and they will make sure to chase him off should he dare to come back, but you need to stay out of his way for a while. I don't want you leaving school grounds.”

The teenager huffed. “Are you suggesting or ordering?” As far as he knew, Laxus had no legitimate reason to order such a thing and he was not about to follow the suggestion. Like hell he would let himself be scared away by some creep. He'd seen Tomas in the club this week just as the last. They hadn't talked and nothing happened.

Realising that Bickslow had no intention of listening to him, Laxus determined, “You're grounded for the time being.”

“For what?! I didn't break any rules... lately.”

“You were off campus during school hours and I had to find you in the woods.”

“You took me!” Bickslow didn't fucking believe his ears. The blonde couldn't be serious with this. He had already been to detention for that. Yes, as his class teacher, Laxus had the right to determine his behaviour required more severe consequences, but it was completely ridiculous that he wanted to punish Bickslow for something he himself had participated in.

Laxus firmed his gaze. He knew it was mean, but if he had to, he would be exactly that unreasonable. “If you are going to fight me about it, I need a reason and it is not beyond me to keep our little lie up. Just don't leave the fucking campus. Is that so hard?”

“Why are you so fucking mean all of a sudden? What the hell did I do to deserve this?”

“Nothing. This is for your own safety. Don't you get that? I am just trying to protect you.”

“Well, don't!”, Bickslow snapped, rushing past him and out the door.

“Bickslow!”

Laxus sighed deeply and rubbed a hand over his face. When had things gotten this bad between them? Was it really all because of his comment on the teenager's relationship? It had seemed like the younger man understood why he had asked and he had apologised for it as well. What more could Bickslow expect? Everyone made mistakes, even really bad ones.

Seeing Bickslow's friends exchanging bewildered looks at the sudden and very angry departure, he closed the door again before they could turn their gaze to him. Right now, he didn't even want to know what they thought about all this. Perhaps they too found him unreasonable and mean, but that was the price he had to pay.

Instead of thinking on it further, he wrote the note for his decision in order to make it official. Bickslow was giving him little choice, being that stubborn about wanting to go out. He didn't seem to understand just how easily these things could get out of hand.

The call to come to the headmasters office an hour later didn't surprise Laxus in the least and he was well prepared to face Mr Conbolt's critique.

Knocking and entering, he took a seat on the other side of the large oak desk. “You called for me?”

Scooting the note about Bickslow toward the teacher, the principal sighed, “Might you explain this to me?”

“I grounded Bickslow for a month for his latest mishap with leaving school grounds during scheduled time”, Laxus stated the obvious.

Folding his hands together, his boss explained firmly but calmly, “Mr. Dreyar, while I respect your intentions, we never give that harsh punishments for non-harmful misconduct like that. A week is the maximum I would allow you to write down. Besides, he has been in detention already and this was several weeks ago.”

The blonde nodded. “I knew you would say that, but hear me out. He has repeatedly left campus against school rules. He drinks out there, disappears for entire nights, comes back with bruises. Now, he has a girlfriend on campus, a nice girl with good grades. If we detain him for a while, keep him sober and close to her, it might just do the trick. This kid deserves a fair chance to get his life together. That is what I want to give him, by cutting him off.”

It was the perfect excuse, because there was a lot of truth to it. Who knows? Maybe it really would help. And this way he could separate Bickslow and his stalker for a month, more than enough time for the weird psychiatrist to hopefully lose interest, and that without the teenager being dragged through the system.

The argument seemed to convince Mr. Conbolt as well. “Okay, fine. I will go with it this once, but I will write it down as punishment for repeated bad behaviour, not just this one incident. That would set a very bad precedence. And I expect you to keep an eye on him, make sure this plays out the way you wanted it to”

Nodding, Laxus ensured him, “I will.”

While the blonde was very pleased with his work, Bickslow sure as hell wasn't. After receiving the official notice, declaring his detention effective immediately, the black and blue haired man was mad as hell, pacing around the tiny music room.

“Calm down”, Gajeel sighed and he hissed in aggravation.

“I can't fucking believe this! A month! Is he completely insane?!”

“What exactly did you do?”, Levy wondered.

“Nothing!”

Receiving an unbelieving look from his girlfriend as well as his two best friends, he sighed, “At least not now.”

“Well, what did he say it was for?”, Lucy wondered and he hesitated. He wasn't about to tell them about Laxus leaving school grounds with him, about how they fucked in the woods and the blonde now thought it reasonable to 'look out' for him this way.

Glancing down at the note he had received from the reception, he read aloud, “For repeatedly leaving school grounds.”

He was so angry. Why would Laxus be such a dick about this? With this kind of note, he couldn't even risk sneaking out. If he was caught leaving while under detention, there would be hell to pay. Flopping down on the couch between the blonde and Levy, he glared down at the slip of paper.

How had Laxus even convinced Mr. Conbolt of this shit? Giving out this kind of punishment was definitively not the principal's style. The guy was harsh when need be, but never this cruel.

“This is bull. If that were something they would punish, I would have gotten this note a thousand times already.”

“Maybe they're trying something new”, Gajeel suggested, but Bickslow knew very well that trying out new pedagogic measures was not what this was about at all. He couldn't say that aloud without giving everything away, though. Instead, he merely pursed his lips.

Lucy pressed a kiss to his cheek and encouraged, “Hey, we can always have fun right here on campus.”

It at least brought back Bickslow's smile. Turing his head a little to meet her lips, he mused, “You know what I need to hear Baby.”

That was far from enough to really calm him, but it was a start. He had to deal with the situation somehow.

  


 


	16. Motivation

Yet another day passed and Bickslow arrived for yet another tutoring lesson. He had skipped yesterday, but Laxus didn't even comment on it. He was well aware why. The note that Bickslow had received was more than enough reason.

Still fuming, the teenager sat down and grabbed the worksheet his teacher had prepared. He hated these god damn lessons. He hated the subjects, the fact that he was forced to actually do the work, the fact that Laxus acted so damn self-righteous, hated Laxus right now.

Today it was chemistry. Such a meaningless fucking thing to learn. Who the hell cared what mole was and how much water you had to add to some solution to balance out acidity? It's not like he was planning to go work in a lab somewhere and if he did, he was pretty damn sure this stuff would be covered in the higher education leading up to such a job.

Laxus found it just a little hard to focus on the lesson. The dream he had yesterday was still kept fresh in his mind. He involuntarily revisited it every few hours being in this room, and it was driving him nuts.

Sitting this close, he could even smell that calm wooden aroma on the other again. Why was it he smelled like that? A little like the forest, peculiar.

The dark red eyes met his and the teenager made no attempt to hide his anger. “It's kinda hard to concentrate when you're looming over me like that.”

Sitting back a little, Laxus elected not to apologise. The student was showing a terrible attitude and he wasn't about to give any sign of accepting it. Lecturing the teenager didn't do any good either, though. He knew that already.

“It's fucking distracting that you've gotta be here at all, honestly”, Bickslow grumbled. “Why did I have to get you as tutor of all?”

“I am your class teacher”, Laxus pointed out the obvious. “You find me distracting? Or do you just hate me that much?” He wasn't entirely sure he wanted an answer, but it was too late to take the question back now.

Putting his pencil down, Bickslow turned to him. “Yea. I hate you exactly that much. What the fuck kinda good do you think locking me in for a month will do, ha? I won't be able to go out at all! If I sneak out while I'm grounded, I would…” He didn't even feel like Laxus was on his side any more, like he could say that much and be confident the blonde wouldn't use it against him. “You know what? Just fuck you!”

Laxus got up, being matched by the other at once, the teenager glaring at him with zero hesitance. “Go right fucking ahead and add detention to it if you want.”

Taking a slow, deep breath to calm down, Laxus shook his head. Detention would do no one any good right now. It was no surprise that the teenager felt betrayed. While that didn't make his assault okay, Laxus wasn't about to dish it back and prove him right. “No.”

“You have to understand, I didn't write you down to be mean. I...”

He was interrupted before he could finish his sentence. “I don't give a damn what for. Don't you get it? If I have to sit here every day, watch you flaunt yourself around, without ever going to get out, to fuck some guy just to get you out of my head again… I'll go crazy.” Bickslow didn't even sound mad any more, just tired and troubled.

Laxus didn't know what to say to all that. He felt the same way. It was why he had started seeing Mirajane, to distract himself from what was right in front of him.

He reached out to stroke a hand over the younger man's cheek, but Bickslow beat him to it, taking a step forward to close the distance between them and lock their lips in a desperate kiss.

Laxus had intended to pull back, he really had, up until those nimble hands pulled his shirt up and tugged at his belt. Left breathless by the ferocity of the younger man's advance, he found himself pushed back against the desk.

Bickslow got under his clothes, stroking him to hardness, and everything came rushing back. The dream he had, the excitement of seeing the younger man enjoy, the need that he was trying to repress so hopelessly, burning in his chest.

Taking a hold of those perfect hips, he pulled the other closer, soon scrambling to get the black dress pants out of the way.

Tugging the cloth down, he ran his hands over the man's butt, groaning as that soft hand firmed its hold around his cock.

Forcing Bickslow back, he instead turned them around, pushing the younger man over the desk and pressing himself against that delicious backside.

Reaching for his bag, he searched for a few seconds only to have a condom handed to him by the teenager instead. Ripping the wrapper and rolling it on, he realised there was one more thing they were missing. He had no lube at hand and it didn't seem the other did either.

There was only the little slickness the condom had on it. Adding at least some spit before trying anything, he steadied himself against the other's entrance. Bickslow still seemed eager even without lubricant, so he went for it.

Trying his best to hold back so he wouldn't hurt the younger man, he slowly sheeted himself in the other's body. An uncomfortable hiss escaped the teenager, but he didn't actually complain.

Bickslow took a firm hold of the master's desk and arched his back, his jaw hanging slack. How he had longed for this. Far too many times had he imagined what it would be like if they lost their cool right here, in this very classroom, no longer concerned with the risks and instead simply loosing themselves together again.

Still vaguely aware of their surroundings, Bickslow did make an effort to stay silent. Laxus moved his hips with little restraint, causing a little pain but mostly pleasure with every thrust. Bickslow almost held his breath in order to keep quiet when he felt the hard member move inside himself. He cursed under his breath, letting his upper body rest on the wooden surface.

Laxus was lost in need, hunting his release furiously. He grabbed a firm hold of the well trained hips to keep the other in place. Sliding one hand under the ruffled shirt, he exposed more of the teenager's back. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the hot skin. The pleased sigh it gained him was enough in this heated moment. Exhaling hard, he tipped over the edge and came.

Bickslow felt the other still, the man's forehead resting against his shoulder, and a small smile sneaked onto his face. There was no way they would ever manage to keep their hands to themselves, was there? He didn't mind that realisation in the least.

“Oh fuck”, the blonde sighed tiredly and he sniggered.

“Literally.”

Laxus tensed as his mind caught up with what he had just done. Why didn't he have any restraint, any damn common sense? “That's not even remotely funny”, he grumbled, but Bickslow seemed in a good mood all of a sudden.

“I thought it was”, the teenager grinned.

The blonde could almost feel his heart flutter at that happy tone of voice. He had missed it. This man would be the end of him. Was there anything he wouldn't do, any rule he wouldn't break for the intoxicating teenager? “Why do you do this to me?”, he sighed.

That reminded Bickslow, they were fighting. “Excuse me? You are very much the one 'doing' things here.”

Feeling accused, Laxus defended himself. “You started it.”

Finding his anger again, Bickslow growled at him. “Are you seriously going to argue with me wile your dick is still up my ass? You cannot be fucking serious.”

Pulling away, the blonde took the condom off in a slightly intricate halfway inside out fold to avoid any mess. This entire thing hadn't exactly been planned and prepared for.

Bickslow took a deep breath as he stood back up. “Dispose of it in the bathroom. There are always a couple of condoms in the trash there.” It'd look bad if there was one found in the classroom. Not that he thought anyone would actually ask, but safe was safe.

“Right. Don't go anywhere.” Buckling his belt again, Laxus hurried away.

Rearranging a little in the meantime, Bickslow leaned back against the desk, waiting. It had been far from the best fuck, but it was Laxus, and his body was heated, yearning for more of the blonde's touch.

Once the teacher returned, he had chased the slight blush off his cheeks and looked as proper and in control as ever, the boring white shirt tucked into his waistline again. Clearing his throat, he motioned to the paper lying on the desk and Bickslow could feel his hands twitch in irritation.

He had to be fucking kidding. Was he seriously going to leave things at this? Biting his teeth together, Bickslow sat down. Okay, yea, he had expected Laxus to try and shrug it off afterwards, but that he wouldn't even finish what he had started first. What a fucking twat!

The blonde sat down beside him awkwardly and he gave the man a meaning look. Really? That was it? Thanks for letting be pound your ass, now get back to work?

Swallowing hard, Laxus motioned to the assignment. “What should you keep in mind when mixing acid and water?”

The teenager was fuming. Who the fuck even cares? Why the fuck would he ever go play with acids? Grumbling to himself, he finally gave in. He had no idea what one would have to keep in mind. Shrugging, he waited for Laxus to tell him.

“It was in the description for the mole and neutralisation experiment. You don't remember?”, the blonde wondered, trying to hint him in the right direction rather than just telling him.

Pedagogic bullshit.

“No”, Bickslow answered sourly. “I didn't do the experiment. I watched Levy do it”, he added to make sure the blonde wouldn't keep giving him 'reminders'. He just wanted to leave here right now.

Realising that, Laxus sighed. “Add acid to water, not water to acid. Otherwise too much heat might be released from the reaction at once and the entire thing might boil, which could potentially be dangerous.”

Watching the student scribble it down, he sighed. He really wanted to help the teenager somehow. After what just happened, it seemed they were at least in their special calm again. Right now, they could talk, really talk, and he wanted to make use of that.

Setting a finger under the teenager's chin, he tilted the younger man's head toward himself and wondered, “Why are you so unmotivated?”

“What reason would I have to be motivated?”, Bickslow countered irritably. What a cheap move, the blonde acting all cuddly, touching him so tentatively, and then asking him things like that. Asshole.

“Not to stay behind a year isn't good enough?”, Laxus tried to joke a little, but the teenager was not in the mood.

“Not really, no.”

“Don't you care about your future at all?”

That seemed to hit a nerve. Bickslow glared back at him. “Why would I?! What is there out there for me, huh? Once I'm done here, what do I have? I don't have a real partner, a real band, anything that actually matters. What am I supposed to strive for outside this school exactly?”

It saddened the blonde to hear the other thought that way, that nothing seemed to matter to him. It wasn't like romance and music was all there was to live for in this world. “You'll still have your family.”

Bickslow shoot out of his chair. “No I won't!”

He stormed out of the room, leaving Laxus wide eyed. Again it seemed he had managed to say the exactly wrong thing to convey his worry to the teenager. He felt like an elephant in a glass store. If he as much as turned around, something came crashing down. He had to find out more about Bickslow if he hoped to ever stop stomping on the young man's toes.

  


Laxus stalked down to the reception with his bag in hand. Stopping shortly, he checked a second time that nothing on him suggested something sexual might have happened today. Satisfied, he cleared his throat and knocked on the headmaster's office.

“Come on in.”

Walking inside, he took a seat and waited for the constantly swarmed man to put his pen down. Looking up, Mr. Conbolt gave him all attention.

“I'm having some troubles with a student.”

The principal didn't need to ask. “Bickslow?”

Laxus nodded. “Yea. He's a little difficult to work with.”

To be fair, that could have a lot to do with him and them, but there was more to it, he was sure. Something had to have happened to the teenager to act this way and he wanted to know what. Bickslow didn't exactly seem eager to share on his own.

Mr Conbolt nodded knowingly. He had expected as much. It wasn't the first time Bickslow stood out as complicated. “He can be, but don't hold it against him. It isn't without reason. He has a hard time trusting people and doesn't do very well with change, so if he is giving you a hard time during tutoring, it isn't because he aims to.”

Laxus decided not to contradict that. Bickslow knew exactly what he was doing.

He did take notice of the fact that the principal didn't even consider it possible that the teenager might be having a hard time with the material. He knew right away that Laxus's concern was with the young man's behaviour, not his academic performance.

“You said it wasn't without reason. What is the reason?” That was what he really wanted to know.

The headmaster sighed. He would clearly have preferred to not explain it, not talk about the teenagers past as though he had a right to. It was a marvellous show of respect. Laxus found it easy to see why this man was trusted among the students, some coming to him rather than any teacher or social worker.

“Bickslow is an orphan.”

Fuck. Now Laxus knew exactly why the teenager had stormed out. Making a face, he got a frown from Mr Conbolt.

“I might have said something really stupid to him”, the blonde excused his reaction.

“I'm sure he is aware you didn't mean… whatever it is you might have said. He's a smart kid.”

Nodding a little, the blonde prompted him to continue.

“He has been moved around between state care and a bunch of different foster homes all his life. The poor bastard had bad luck. There have even been a few incidents with violent foster parents and other orphans. It is thus no surprise he doesn't like to let others in.”

It pained and surprised Laxus to hear this. Bickslow always seemed so cheerful and open about himself. To think it was a façade that he only let few peek behind. Laxus felt almost stupid to have believed he really knew the teenager after such a short time.

Mr Conbolt sighed, clearly finding the tale just as uncomfortable. “Now, all he's got is an older lady that agreed to take him in. She was approved as guardian while he is here at this school, but she can't actually have him with her since she isn't in best heath any more. He even stays the summers here on campus. So, yea, he can be complicated, but he is a good kid.”

“I know he is”, Laxus agreed.

He understood now why the teenager didn't show his smarts. Bickslow didn't even want to graduate, because he literally had nowhere to go.

  



	17. Call it Even

Laxus was determined to try and motivate his student. If it was plans for the future the teenager needed, he was willing to talk. He could help Bickslow apply for university or find a job, an apartment, could guide the younger man once he left Fairy Tail. That was really no issue. He'd gladly be there for Bickslow if he could.

When the student turned up for tutoring, he was a little relieved. It wouldn't have surprised him if the black and blue haired man had skipped. This time, he would have reported it, though, even if he still felt somewhat guilty for his careless and evidently harmful comment yesterday.

Getting absolutely zero acknowledgement from Bickslow when the teenager stalked inside and took his seat, Laxus raised an eyebrow. Really? He was going to try and ignore his teacher? How childish. “Hello to you too”, the blonde said and the dark red eyes found his.

A sarcastic smirk formed on the slim lips. “Hi. Do you need me to drop my pants and bend over right away or are we doing the torture by chemistry part first?”

Baffled, Laxus took a second to sort his thoughts. Right, that had happened. He had expected some kind of confrontation, but not about this. “Look, I'm sorry for...”

“Oh, you're sorry? For what, fucking me or leaving me hanging?”, the Bickslow hissed and he gaped at the younger man.

“You're mad because… I didn't give back?”, he tried in confusion. Out of all the reasons the teenager had to be angry, that was the one he was going to pick on?

A huff left the younger man. It was not about the simple pleasure of it, but the principle. How could Laxus not see that? He shook his head in disbelief. “I never agreed to be your fucktoy, you know, for you to use and throw away. You can't just take what you want whenever it damn well pleases you.”

Laxus nodded a little. That was fair enough. He hadn't exactly been a gentleman about it. “I'm sorry. I didn't think…” He shook his head ever so lightly. “Yea. I just didn't think.” Bickslow gave him a long look, that particular look that says, 'yea, I noticed, Idiot'.

Seeing that the teenager was far from done being angry with him, the blonde sighed. It seemed that whatever he did, even when giving in to the teenager, he still managed to make things worse. “What can I do to make you stop hating me?”

Bickslow didn't actually hate Laxus. He didn't seem to know how to do that, no matter how satisfying it would have been, how much easier. No, but he was angry, and that for many reasons. “You could end my ridiculous punishment”, he suggested.

“That's not happening.” The blonde didn't bother trying to explain why again. He was pretty sure Bickslow wouldn't want to hear it. He just wanted the two of them to go back to normal, to be able to communicate like before. Why did that have to be so complicated?

Even after the initial shock of meeting again here in this classroom, things had worked pretty well. And even after that concert, they had managed to play if off. It was all good up until that day they ditched together. That was about when all of this got out of hand, wasn't it? He should never have agreed to it, should never have…

Oh to hell with all the should haves. He had and here they were. Now it was up to him to try and fix it.

“Anything else? Anything at all?”

Bickslow huffed. “If you're so eager to make it up to me, you could be the one bending over this time around”, he snarled and the blonde took a long breath before nodding.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”, the student asked, now completely baffled. He had said that out of spite, to rile the other man up and get a reaction, not because he thought it would actually happen.

“If that can make us even, then yea, okay”, Laxus said. He just wanted Bickslow to calm down again. He couldn't stand the though of the other hating him, couldn't deal with that angry expression constantly on the younger man's face. And just maybe, he liked the excuse for another fuck a little bit as well, even if it was this way around.

Standing up, he held his hands out to the sides, prompting the other to go for it.

Not about to say no now that he had the blonde's consent, Bickslow got out of his chair as well and faced the man. He approached almost carefully, eyeing the older man closely as he reached out and placed one hand on the fine shirt. It was a shame the black suit jacket was already draped over a chair, so Bickslow couldn't slowly slide it off those broad shoulders.

Feeling the familiar strong body under the thin layer of cotton, Bickslow relaxed into the situation and came closer. He ran his fingers up over the firm abs hidden under soft fabric while he kissed the blonde.

The scent of coffee was strong on him today. It wasn't really Bickslow's taste, but deprived of alcohol, it had to do. He needed some kind of stimulant. Laxus didn't seem to complain at least.

Reaching the breast pocket with his hand, Bickslow smirked a little and pinched his fingers together, catching the other man's right nipple. A hum escaped the blonde, vibrating against his lips, and the firm hands found his hips.

Nudging Laxus's head to the side, he attacked the second sweet spot he had found, right under the ear, and the older man growled in arousal, the rumbling noise coming from the very back of his throat.

Gods, this man was too much, his dark voice too perfect. Bickslow could practically feel his heart skip a beat with every kiss the blonde returned.

Not that Laxus had anything to complain about with the younger man pressing in on him, teasing him and working him up, but he was getting a little restless. He was feeling just a little exposed here in the middle of school. “Get on with it, would you?”, he grumbled.

“Fine”, Bickslow chuckled. He knew very well why the blonde was so impatient, even if he was fairly confident there was nothing to worry about. Only few people were even in the building at this hour, and none of them had any reason to walk into this particular room.

Retreating from the teacher, he instead unbuttoned his trousers, giving the blonde a meaning look to do the same. Laxus unbuckled his belt in turn, opening his trousers and pushing his clothes down just enough before turning around and hoping for all in the world he wasn't blushing as he leaned onto the master's desk.

It felt so odd to stand here like this, waiting for Bickslow to fuck him. Not in years had he taken on this role, and he sure as hell wouldn't have imagined he would be doing so here of all places. It was a little exciting, his heart beating fast.

Seeing the teenager pick a condom and a small pack of lube from his pockets, Laxus almost sighed in relief. Thank god the other had supplies on him. He had been afraid to be in the exact same spot as Bickslow was yesterday, not much easing the glide. While the younger man had taken it as though it was nothing when it happened, he had noticed how stiffly Bickslow sat during the day. It had hurt, more than the teenager seemingly wanted to admit. Or perhaps he was just more used to it.

Bickslow gave an amused chuckle as he noticed the orange eyes finding the little wrapper. Yea, he usually had that on him. He hadn't for the main part of his lock down, only keeping a condom in his pockets because he only slept with Lucy either way, but since Laxus showed that there was the distinct possibility, he took lube along again as well, just in case. A good thing as it turned out.

Once the condom sat, he ripped the second wrapper and took the blonde's hand, squeezing the contents out into the man's palm. If they were going to be hasty, he wasn't about to do this part. He didn't want to accidentally hurt the other.

Besides, it was incredibly hot to see the older man prepare himself.

Laxus was far too tense, finding it hard to relax into the situation and allow his fingers to enter. He wanted to do this, but his mind was racing. There were just far too many problems with all of this. Why couldn't he just stop thinking? That had really made it easier yesterday.

Noticing that the blonde was struggling a little, Bickslow couldn't help but smile even brighter. He knew it was kind of mean, but he loved that slightly insecure expression that he was offered for once. It somehow made the man seem a bit more attainable.

Having mercy on the other, Bickslow hooked his fingers into the waistline of the man's trousers and underwear and pulled his clothes all the way down. Laxus gave him a questioning look but lifted his feet one at a time as he was prompted to do so, letting the teenager tug his shoes as well as the fabric off entirely.

Standing back up, the younger man took his right knee and hooked the leg up to rest on the table. “That'll make it easer, trust me”, he offered and the blonde turned his head away again, now able to feel the heat on his cheeks. Fuck he felt awkward this exposed.

Laxus now stood in only shirt and tie. The sight was strangely arousing to Bickslow. He usually preferred the opposite. An exposed upper body was perfect, and especially with a hard cock peeking out from open pants, but the blonde looked amazing like this, strong legs exposed and his length halfway hidden under the hem of his shirt. Then again, he always looked amazing, no matter what.

And then there was the fact that the blonde was slowly easing a finger into himself. A marvellous sight, no doubt. Soon, he could add a second one and Bickslow saw the slight tremble going through the fiercely muscular limbs. Once Laxus's hand retreated again, he closed in, stroking his hands over the firm thighs. “Fuck you're hot like this.”

The observation was one Laxus sure as hell didn't want to hear right now. “I thought you don't top”, he snarled, just to have something to retort with, but Bickslow was feeling far too happy and aroused to fight right now.

“And I thought we couldn't do this”, he mused.

One hand around his cock, he lined up only to realise the blonde was still very tense. Somewhat concerned, he only pressed forward ever so little. “Relax. Are you sure it's okay like this?”

Laxus grumbled a little. “Yea. Just go slow.”

He knew Bickslow wouldn't hurt him if he could avoid it. He ought to feel safe with the caring teenager, but this was still pretty far outside his comfort zone. Not that he regretted going this far or didn't want to continue. It was just… embarrassing.

He never understood how someone could bottom with confidence. Maybe the constant jokes about gays taking it up the ass had gotten to him after all, ridiculing the very idea of it being something desirable. What an annoying thought.

Hesitating, Bickslow stroked his hands over the other's hips. Whatever reason Laxus had to be so tense, he didn't like it, and in this position he wouldn't even be able to see the blonde's face to read his features for any discomfort.

Even if he could, he wouldn't be able to see what it looks like when the blonde enjoys a cock inside himself if he stood behind the man. This wasn't really doing it for him after all. Pulling away, he got a surprised glance from the older man.

“Turn around.”

Laxus shook his head. He was not about to be taken on his back. Never had he let anyone take him in a position that exposed and vulnerable. “You want to fuck me, do it like this”, he determined.

“So much for 'anything'”, Bickslow teased and got a snarl in return.

“What's the problem any way? Do you get backpains or something?”, the teenager asked, serious this time.

“No.”

“No? What then? Afraid you might blush?”, the younger man kept pressing buttons. The hint of red that spread over the man's cheeks at his words greatly surprised him. “Really? That's why?”

“It's embarrassing enough like this, aright?”, Laxus hissed.

“What in the world would you have to be embarrassed about exactly? You're fucking perfect. You're completely fucking flawless, like some kind of god. It's a little annoying, honestly.”

Laxus looked back at the student wide eyed. He had no idea Bickslow saw him like that. It seemed almost wrong somehow, for it was exactly how he would describe the other.

Himself, he was some kind of huge monster with a scarred face and freaky eyes while the younger man was well trained without coming of as brutish, and he was beautiful as can be, his face having not one flaw. His eyes were mesmerising, his skin was soft and smooth. He clearly took care of himself and he was one of those bastards that didn't even have any greater problems with acne, only a few red spots sneaking onto his face sometimes. There was not a single thing Laxus would change. Except perhaps their problematic relation as teacher and student.

First when Bickslow kissed him did he realise he had turned around entirely. The teenager pulled at his tie, easing the knot before pulling it over his head and letting it fall, and the shirt followed not long after. All naked, Bickslow urged him back onto the desk and, slowly, he allowed it, leaning back more. The black and blue haired man took a hold of his right leg, hooking it over his shoulder as he came closer.

Laxus closed his eyes, almost holding his breath as he waited for the other to go for it. It felt so weird to lie here like this, knowing Bickslow could see all of him, from head to toe, knowing he wasn't the one ruling this happening.

Seeing the tension in the other, the teenager halted once more. It wasn't fun if Laxus didn't enjoy it as well, and right now, he looked positively mortified. His attempt at hiding it was not awfully convincing. The blonde sure as hell shouldn't aim for a career as actor.

“That bad?”, Bickslow asked softly.

Laxus really didn't need the fucking commentary. Couldn't that idiot just get to it already? It wasn't like talking about it so damn much was helping. It just made it impossible not to think about it, not to tense up. “Shut up”, he grumbled.

“Then top”, the teenager said and let go of him. Frowning back at the younger man, he wondered, what was it now? Didn't Bickslow want this any more all of a sudden? The way he understood it, him being the receiving one today was the exact point of this entire thing.

The younger man sat down in his chair, coaxing the blonde over with a hand and a light went for the teacher.

“You've gotta be kidding me.”

“This will give you back control. That's what you want, isn't it?”, Bickslow asked calmly. There was no mockery in his voice. The second Laxus had admitted to being embarrassed, he had switched to serious and soft spoken. It was odd, but also undeniably calming.

Grumbling a little, Laxus slid off the table again and came over to the younger man. Bickslow was right, this way, it wasn't as awkward. He was used to being in charge. It made everything feel safer. Taking a hold of the backrest, he straddled Bickslow, but he bloody refused to meet the curious eyes that were inspecting him so closely.

The black and blue haired man steadied himself, helpfully guiding the blonde with a hand resting on his hip.

Laxus couldn't believe he'd ride the teenager. It was definitely more to his taste than bending over the damn table, but still. He wondered if Bickslow had realised that. The teenager seemed able to read his desires before he himself even realised that he had them.

It was just a little annoying to be honest. Hadn't he been, they might have never even made that very fist mistake back in that club, before they knew how complicated it all would turn out to be. Then the teenager might never have given him the perfect show to lure him, said the exactly right things to catch him. They might just have talked and then found other lays for the night.

The thought wasn't entirely comforting either, though. That would mean they wouldn't have shared that marvellous night and that ridiculously perfect morning. They wouldn't have all this, this feeling when their lips met, this hopeless desire and this connection. Or maybe it was just him. Maybe Bickslow was interested in him purely physically. It was the one thing the teenager seemed to hunt every time, initiating every single mistake they had made so far, including this one.

Feeling the younger man's warm hands stroking over his thighs calmly, he exhaled and focused on the situation at hand. Even if it was another mistake, he knew it would be just as sinfully good as the last.

Breathing evenly, he mindfully relaxed his body. As he found his control, he felt the length breach him and gasped. Bickslow slowly guided him down, filling him inch by inch, and oh shit that felt far too good.

Laxus bit his teeth together. He knew it was ridiculous, but some tiny part of him didn't really want it to be all this pleasurable, as if to give his claim of never bottoming some legitimacy.

Shifting a little to get a good grip on the chair and make it possible to move, he strained his legs and lifted himself up a little before coming back down. Bickslow shifted a little in turn, ending up in an angle that made him brush the blonde's prostate as he slid back in, and Laxus moaned aloud.

Looking somewhat surprised at the strong reaction, Bickslow grinned lightly. “Shhh. Someone will hear you. These walls are not awfully thick you know.”

Laxus growled at the younger man. He freaking knew that! It wasn't like he had intended to be that vocal about it. The teenager should have kept still.

Moving again, he bit his teeth together to repress any sounds, but that still left him panting within the minute. He had no idea how Bickslow had managed to stay so calm yesterday. Muttering curses under his breath, he kept going, indulging in the unfamiliar feeling.

Seeing the blonde force back gasps and moans, Bickslow couldn't help but smile. Laxus was so ridiculously handsome, even ruined like this, or maybe especially ruined like this. Stroking his hands over the strong hips, he mused quietly. “Feels good, hm?”

“Shut it already”, a breathless hiss met his words and he chuckled.

Bringing his hand further up, turned his attention to the other's neglected erection. Wrapping his fingers around it and stroking down as the blonde's hips raised, he got another vocal groan and Laxus stilled, taking his hand to stop him.

“Don't. I'll...”

“Come on. I wanna see it. I wanna see you come as you ride me”, he interrupted eagerly and the older man blushed deeply. It was a beautiful sight, absolutely breathtaking. Never before had he seen Laxus like that. Leaning forward a little, he kissed the blonde deeply and felt the hand resting upon his own retreating again, allowing him to continue.

Keeping his eyes fixed the teacher's face, he worked his hand over the man's length.

Laxus tensed his jaw, huffing breaths as he made an effort to pick his own movement back up, tying to keep steady as he practically ran for the edge.

Even now that Bickslow got even for the pretty unfair act Laxus had put up yesterday, the teenager still wanted to see him come too. The blonde felt somewhat shitty to have taken his own pleasure so thoughtlessly, but the younger man didn't seem to hold any grudge any more, not now that they were sharing this.

The older man relaxed more and more as he saw the eager pleasure shining in those dark red eyes. His embarrassment slowly melted away in that heated look, focused solely on him. Finally, he gave in and met the other's gaze. There was nothing but want and care there, not the slightest hint of ego or even amusement. Here in caring the space that Bickslow created with his presence, Laxus felt safe.

Even if someone had burst in through the door right now, screaming that the building was on fire, they would not let themselves be interrupted, not in their prefect moment of harmony.

Pursing his lips together in an effort not to vocalise his pleasure, Laxus found his release, shuddering in the other's warm embrace. Before he even had caught his breath, he moved again, surprising Bickslow and gaining a raspy moan before the younger man managed to calm his breathing again.

“Fuck, Laxus. Shit.”

This time he wasn't going to leave things half finished. The movement inside him felt almost too much now, but he was determined. Taking a hold in the black and blue hair again, he growled at the teenager with fervour.

Bickslow arched under him, his mouth hanging open in a breathless 'o', his cheeks red. And then he unravelled, jerking, grabbing a hold of the other's hips firmly and pulling him down as he groaned and came.

Panting against the blonde's chest, Bickslow caught his breath. “Holy shit”, he mumbled and Laxus smirked. He was satisfied. Taking the younger man's chin, he tilted Bickslow's head up and kissed him lovingly.

“Call it even?”

Bickslow nodded debauched. “Whatever you say.”

He was only vaguely aware of the sticky fluid still covering his hand and now smearing a little on the other's hip. His senses were still overwhelmed.

Laxus moved from him slowly and after a moment handed him a napkin with a small moist spot. Realising the other had started cleaning up, he got the worst off his hand and then removed the condom before rearranging. This time around, he was the one that went for the bathroom for a moment to dispose of the evidence.

Once he returned, Laxus sat in his chair as usual, fully dressed like nothing had happened. “Well then. Torture by chemistry was it”, he teased and Bickslow rolled his eyes.

  


 


	18. Talk to Me

Bickslow was in a good mood when he left the classroom to eat lunch. Watching Laxus teach today hadn't been half as bad as usual. When their eyes met, he could even swear there was the hint of a smile in the orange eyes.

Sitting in the cafeteria with his friends, he saw Lucy also coming over to them. She had started sitting with them from time to time now, not always keeping to her cheer team. Setting her tray down and taking a seat, she commented, “You look happy.”

“I guess”, Bickslow mused, leaning over to give her a peck.

“You didn't sneak out, did you?”

He shook his head. “No. I might be naughty, but I'm not stupid.”

Seeming somewhat relieved, the cheerleader smiled. She picked her glass up, taking a sip. “Then what happened?”

He just shrugged a little.

“He won't tell us either”, Levy gossiped and his girlfriend raised an eyebrow.

She gave a playful little huff. “Fine then. Keep your secrets.”

“What? Don't tell me you don't like mysterious guys?”, he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at the blonde and gaining a laugh.

“Idiot.”

They were interrupted as the speakers gave a distinctive beep. “Bickslow to the reception. Bickslow to the reception.”

The group exchanged looks and Gajeel wondered aloud. “What did you do now?”

“Beats me”, he shrugged.

“Maybe you've got a visitor”, Levy suggested and he cringed.

“I hope not.”

Last time someone tried to visit him, it had been really fucking creepy and lead to him being locked in school for a month, which still wasn't over.

At least taking his sandwich along, he stalked out of the cafeteria, leaving Gajeel alone to be bored out of his mind when the girls inevitably started discussing literature.

Once at the reception he threw the empty wrapper away and looked up to see Ms. Astor give him a soft look. A bad sign, no doubt. She motioned him to the head master's office and he walked inside with a sigh. What now?

Mr. Conbolt shifted a little and then motioned to one of the two chairs opposite him. “Bickslow, please have a seat.”

“I haven't skipped any day of tutoring”, Bickslow half lied. He had one time, but he knew Laxus hadn't told anyone about that. Other than that, he had absolutely no idea why he might have been called here, though.

The principal pursed his lips together as if unsure if he should force a smile or not. “You're not in trouble. Have a seat”, he tried again and the teenager flopped down in one of the wooden chairs, looking at him expectantly.

“It's about Ms. Ericsson.”

Worry ghosted over the dark red eyes. “Is she aright?”

Mr. Conbolt shook his head. “No. I'm sorry. She passed away this morning. The hospital called as soon as they found out about you.”

Bickslow nodded. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“If you want to talk to a psychiatrist or social...”, the head master began, but he waved it off. “That won't be necessary, thanks.”

He got up and walked back out in silence, doing his best to ignore the pitying look on the receptionist. He hated it when people felt sorry for him.

Fuck, tough.

Not hat he hadn't expected this to happen within the foreseeable future, but something like this always hurt. No matter how often she had claimed she had lived a good life and that she was happy with what she had managed to accomplish in her time, he still felt like it was too early. Even if she had lived to a hundred and fifty, he would still think it too soon for her to kick the bucket.

He stalked all the way back to his dorm room and shut the door, flopping down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, he saw the memories of the old lady dance across the white surface. She always had the sweetest smile, wrinkles and all.

Feeling his eyes tear up, he turned to the side and closed them instead.

  


Laxus heard about the incident as well before returning to class. He was thus not in the least surprised to find Bickslow hadn't bothered turning up. Picking his phone up before he began, he texted the teenager. He at least had to know where his student was during scheduled time.

“Are you on the roof?”

Bickslow smiled weakly as he received the message. He had completely forgotten the time. The text didn't indicate he ought to move, though, and he really didn't want to.

Lazily pressing buttons, he replied, “No. My room.”

Laxus was relieved as he saw it. It was understandable that Bickslow wasn't up for going to class right now, but having him hanging around the roof, probably smoking, wouldn't have been good either. The dorms was where students were supposed to stay if sick, so this fit very well.

“Stay there until the bell rings unless you're coming to class”, he instructed before turning his phone to silent mode and starting class.

It was a little hard to focus, the teenager looming in the back of his mind, but he pulled through. Once the bell rung, he shooed the students out, locked, and headed over to the dorms. Asking the dorm father for the room number again, he headed upstairs and knocked.

“Come in”, a tired sounding voice answered from within and he turned the doorknob.

Bickslow looked up as his teacher entered. He had expected as much. Laxus really was a rather adorable person behind that stoic face of his, and quite easily worried. The blonde closed the door behind himself before speaking. “I heard about your foster parent.”

Bickslow returned his gaze to the small screen in his hands, typing as he mumbled. “She's wasn't my foster parent. She was my guardian. There is a difference. A rather huge difference actually.”

Laxus shrugged. That was hardly the point of his statement. “Whatever. The important part is, are you aright?”

“Brilliant”, the teenager responded half-heartedly, continuing to chat with Gajeel. The heavily pierced man was just wondering the exact same thing and he was telling them not to come check on him. He didn't want to see anyone right now. Well, anyone but Laxus. Having him here didn't hurt. It was rather nice.

Misinterpreting the other's focus on the screen as an effort to seem disinterested, Laxus picked the phone from the teenagers' hands, gaining a slightly annoyed look.

Seeing Laxus place the device on the bedside table instead, Bickslow shrugged it off. He had already said what he wanted to either way. Ignoring the next buzz, he turned his attention to the blonde instead and answered seriously, “It's not like anything changed with this.”

The older man took a seat on the bed beside him, inspecting him more closely. “What do you mean?”

Scooting down to lie comfortably, the black and blue haired man tried to explain. “Having a guardian you don't live with pretty much just means that the social workers don't have to check on you on their own all the time, that they delegate that to the guardian. It's not like I lived with her or anything, so this doesn't really change anything for me.”

What exactly did Laxus expect? Should he break down and cry or something? He had been lying here for several hours already, thinking about it all, letting it sink in, and admittedly crying a little as well.

The blonde reached out and he leaned into the soft touch caressing his cheek. “Did you like that old lady?”

He nodded a little. “Yea. She was nice.”

“So you must be sad about what happened.”

“I guess”, Bickslow agreed. He looked back up as the hand retreated again and smirked a little. “It would be easier to handle if I could go out”, he suggested. It was no lie. Getting wasted sounded like a really fucking good idea right about now.

“That's not handling it”, Laxus dismissed it instantly and he clicked his tongue.

“Can't blame me for trying.”

Sighing, he stretched his back out and looked up at the ceiling again. The uniform white was the perfect canvas for his thoughts today. Loosing his visual focus, he let the memories dance again, just enjoying the comfort of having the other man there with him.

Watching the thoughtful expression on the teenager, Laxus took his hand and squeezed it ever so lightly to emphasise he was there. “Talk to me”, he offered softly.

The dark red eyes found their focus again on his face and he could see the gears working in that mischievous mind. “About?”, the teenager asked and he realised that his answer would determine something. He wasn't really sure what, though.

“About her. You. Whatever.”

Smiling a little, Bickslow challenged, “Give me a kiss and I will answer one question truthfully.”

Laxus's first reflex was to turn him down, but he waited another second before he spoke and thought better of it. This was his chance to really find out something about the teenager, about his past, his story, his life.

“I can ask whatever I want, about your feelings, your past, and you have to be honest and give me full and proper answer.”

Bickslow nodded. “Deal. But the kiss has to be more than just a peck”, he negotiated.

Laxus leaned down and kissed him. He began softly, only ghosting over the other's lips ever so lightly with his own, and then firmed his touch, pressing their mouths together before finally slipping his tongue past the soft lips to taste the younger man.

The black and blue haired man hummed into the kiss in delight. It was more than he had expected, honestly. When the blonde pulled back, he could still feel the tenderness linger in his wake.

“Tell me about your guardian. What was she like?”

Propping himself up on an arm, Bickslow sighed. The downside was, now he actually had to answer, properly.

“She was really nice. She used to work in administration at the state care centre. When I turned fourteen I sought in to Fairy Tail to get out of the system and she agreed to be my guardian so I could. The orphanages always place you in schools nearby, but guardians can let you go to boarding schools like this one.”

“So you were at an orphanage before coming here?”, Laxus wondered and he shook his head.

“Not really. I was in another home. Very classy house, nice mom and dad, two kids. It was all super rosy, too rosy. They were one of those families where everyone wears polo shirts and plays an instrument. You know what I mean. The mom was stay at home and volunteered at the church. It was like I had landed in some film, I swear.

Any ways, the brother didn't want me there. I have no idea what his problem was, but he did everything to make me look bad.

When I took out the trash, he opened the can so the animals would come at night and then blame it on me. He'd push my glass over when his mom wasn't looking and then gasp and rant about how I should be more careful. It was all kinds of things.

He even threw some expensive designer vase down at one point and then pointed at me. And because he was the perfect little angel, his mom of course believed that it was me who kept fucking up. In the end I just took the blame and played clumsy instead. I really wanted to stay there. I even had my own room for the first time.

That's when he started picking fights with me personally. I didn't really care about the insults, but he went too far.”

He hesitated for a moment.

“This might sound silly but...” Avoiding the orange eyes, he looked out the window.

“He took my teddy bear. It was a little brown one, with these cute heart shaped paws.” He motioned vaguely with his fingers, like he was holding it in his hands, and then looked up. To his great relief there was no sign of amusement on the blonde's face.

So he continued, “I got it from his little sister. She was nice, like really cute and nice. He took it and cut it in two. So I punched the fucker and he fell badly. He totally exaggerated it, said I had beat him up and what not, had attacked him without reason. So I was removed from the home.

That left me back at the orphanage, but I luckily managed to get out of there within the week, by applying here. It was my back up plan if I ever needed to go back.”

“Was it that bad at the orphanage?”, Laxus asked, but he got no answer.

“That counts as another question”, Bickslow determined. He had let the last one slide since his answer was a little short, but for this one he wanted to get some more.

Leaning in again, Laxus repeated the process, firming his touch over time and finishing it with his tongue before he pulled back and looked down at the teenager expectantly. It was just a little hard to hold back with the sweet response he got, but he had an objective.

Sighing lightly at the retreat, Bickslow found the air to speak again. “The orphanage was pretty bad. It's like every orphan in an area kind of knows another, at least by looks, so once a rumour is stared you're not getting rid of it again. And it's not like you can just decide to move somewhere else.

Besides, if you do get moved, that is one hell of a stigma. There was one kid that was moved to our orphanage. Everyone said he had stolen cars and all kinds of shit. I'm pretty sure he was simply being bullied worse before the move than after.”

“What kind of rumour was there about you?”, Laxus wondered.

“That I'm gay.”

The blonde made a face. He knew what that was like. Himself, he had also been pushed around for liking boys. He hadn't always been this strong.

For some reason, people were pretty obsessed with sticking their noses into other people's love lives. Women weren't supposed to want sex and men were supposed to want it a lot, but only from women. Anything different was at once stigmatised and attacked.

The worst was probably when the other boys refused to change while he was in the room before and after PE. So fucking ridiculous! As if he had any interest in those disgusting homophobes. They seemed to think their average and pimple decorated bodies were somehow going to come to harm if he spotted them. Maybe his gayness would infect them too if he saw their dicks. He got mad just thinking about it.

While so mean, it was also so subtle. He couldn't even really react to it. It wasn't like simple verbal attacks he could defend himself against or report. What the hell should he have complained about exactly? 'People don't undress in front of me'? That didn't exactly sound good.

He understood all too well why that rumour was troublesome, even if there was truth to it.

Bickslow grumbled a little in response to his uncomfortable expression. Of course, even the blonde would know what that was like. He continued in an annoyed tone of voice, “Which isn't even accurate. I'm bisexual. Not that the distinction would have helped much.

I guess someone saw me make out in town or whatever. One Monday morning, it was suddenly all around school and soon also the orphanage. I was a popular punching bag for two years until I landed with family goody-two-shoes and polo-kid-devil.

Don't get me wrong, the caretakers and teachers tried to help, but its just far too easy to keep things secret and 'snitches get stitches' wasn't just a saying. It was reality.

It's the system's fault, really. See, every kid has a number that shows how much trouble you are. You fuck up, you go up a number. At five, you are basically fucked if you hope to ever get placed in a home or anything. So, anyone that snitches, betrays the others, has to pay the price. I'm a four by the way, but that also only because I'm a good liar. It was a three before fuck-face outlied me.”

Laxus stroked a hand through his hair. Had it been anyone else, he would have hated it, but the blonde didn't look at him with pity, just with understanding and concern. His warm hand felt nice as it ruffled through the blue strands.

There was a long silence between them before the older man found his next question. “Did you know your parents at all?”

Bickslow huffed a laugh, not having expected that one. “Woah there Pretty Boy. For that one you'll really have to give some sugar.”

The blonde leaned down to him again and once more slowly teased before deepening their kiss and making out with him. He crawled over the teenager, stroking a hand over his cheek softly and planting one knee between the younger man's.

Bickslow could feel his entire body heating at the approach. He kissed back with no less, letting his hands find the blond hair and stroke through it longingly. What they were talking about just now was instantly forgotten when Laxus lowered himself down further and drew his leg up so it pressed against the other's crotch in a sinful tease.

Hazy, the teenager moaned at the friction, his hips bucking up on instinct. He was lost, completely powerless against the blond man, and so happy about it at the same time. It made no sense.

And that was when it really hit him, when he for the first time truly thought about it that way, and realised what was perhaps obvious. He was in love. As soon as the thought had formed in his mind, it was unmistakably clear to him that it was true.

Laxus pulled back and he just looked up at the mesmerising orange eyes with that warm fussy feeling in his chest. He should probably try to figure out whether he should say it or not, but not even that much managed to make its way into his conscious mind.

“Parents”, the blonde said expectantly and he gave an exasperated groan. Fucking seriously? He was having a moment here!

“Boy! You can really kill a boner.”

Laxus sat up more at that and crossed his arms over his chest to reinforce his demand. “Answer the question.”

Sighing, Bickslow rubbed a hand over his forehead. Yea, yea, he knew he had to. Sitting up as well, he pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them, clearing his throat.

“Not really. My dad was out of the picture early and child protective services took me when I was five, so I don't remember my mom much either. She poisoned me, so she wasn't allowed to see me or anything and when I got older I didn't really want to meet her either.”

He could see the blonde tense at the information. It was the same reaction he got every time. Simply waiting for the blonde to let that sink in, he instead mindfully enjoyed the warmth still lingering after the man's little tease.

“Don't children that young have very good chances of getting adopted?”, Laxus finally asked.

Bickslow shrugged. “Sure, but I didn't eat properly and had to get some special treatment that wasn't cheap.”

“Didn't eat?”

Another shrug drew his shoulder up. “I don't know. That's what they told me. I never really bothered getting the details. Maybe it was medical. I have no idea. Who knows what poisoning a little kid can do right?”

Resting his forehead against the teenager's, Laxus stroked a hand over the man's soft cheek again. His heart lay heavy in his chest. How much the younger man had been though already. It was a shame, and outrage even, that things like these happened in this world.

There was a knock and Laxus bolted up, looking to the door in worry. “Who do you think it is?”

Bickslow chuckled a little at the reaction. Laxus could be surprisingly skittish for such a firm teacher. Then again, what they were doing was rather risky.

“Relax. You're just being a good teacher, checking on me. Remember?”, he teased.

“Right”, the blonde nodded, running a hand though his hair to sort any eventual snarl out and taking a seat beside him again.

“Come on in”, Bickslow called and the door opened. On the other side of it, Mirajane stood.

“Oh, hey Laxus”, she smiled brightly.

There was a certain admiration sparkling in her eyes. He must seem like he'd make for a great parent when you didn't know just why him and Bickslow had such an easy time talking like this.

Slightly awkward.

Turning her attention to the student instead, the white haired woman wondered softly, “Hi Bickslow. I heard about what happened. Are you doing aright?”

He forced a smile. It wasn't like he had anything against the woman, but he wanted her to leave. She was nice, a very good teacher from what he knew, and she always cared about every single student, but she was also currently his rival. “I'm fine. Mr. Dreyar is good to talk to”, he responded politely.

Feeling the slightly odd air, Mirajane nodded and excused herself again. “Mr. Conbolt asked me to check on you but I see you already have good company. You know where to find me if you need anything. I'll leave you two alone.”

Bickslow nodded. “Thanks.”

He looked after the white haired woman for a little while, trying not to let the feeling of jealousy settle, and Laxus swallowed hard.

Definitely awkward.

He changed the subject. He had figured at least something out and he had a probably terrible idea. “So to summarise, you had a shitty past and you only care about right now. That it?”

The teenager shrugged. “Pretty much.”

It was definitively a bad idea, but it might just work. Shrugging it off, he stated, “Fine then. If you don't fail, if you get through to the next year, I will sleep with you again.”

Bickslow gaped at him for a moment, baffled at the naughty offer.

“Seriously? What about your morals as teacher?”, he finally teased and Laxus chuckled. It had little to do with that if he was to be honest. He wanted it just a much. Hell, he would probably have done it today, right here, hadn't it been for Mirajane. This way he might at least also give the teenager a much needed push.

“This is me teaching. I'm motivating an impossible student”, he retorted, giving the younger man a peck.

“It's a promise?”, the teen asked hesitantly.

He really shouldn't be doing this, repeating his mistakes over and over again. What was worse, this time it was pre-meditated. Definitely not okay.

“Yea. It's a promise.”

  



	19. Studying

Bickslow was completely immersed in his textbook when his friends arrived. He jerked in surprise when Gajeel put a hand on his shoulder and got a snigger from both him and Levy.

“Yea, yea, hilarious, scare those that try to focus”, he grumbled sarcastically, retuning to the text in front of him. He wasn't really in the mood today. It was one of those days. One where everything took too much energy, everything seemed so damn pointless. On the upside, that let him focus entirely on the material at hand, going through the motions without any distractions. He felt a little like a zombie, honestly.

His friends took a seat at the library table as well. Levy insisted it was a good place to study, quiet and calm. Those were the exact things Bickslow didn't appreciate at all. He hadn't really set foot in here since, well, ever, but he liked the company while he learned. If he aimed to pass the finals he had a good couple of things to rehearse.

This being the second time he sat through all of grade 2, he was feeling fairly confident about most of it, but there was still a lot he hadn't ever bothered to memorise. Grasping the general concepts in every subject was easy enough, but the never-ending pages of details especially in biology, chemistry, and languages were killing him. Thank Mavis they were at least allowed a calculator and a formula handbook.

He looked up again when Levy still didn't get to her own school work. The bluenette was just looking at him from across the table, and Gajeel watched the entire thing with a tense air. Slightly annoyed by it, Bickslow broke the silence.

“What?”

Levy cleared her throat. “It's just… are you sure you're aright? I mean, after yesterday...”

She didn't have to say much more to explain her concern. He knew what she meant. The funeral had been yesterday.

They had gathered at a church to say their farewells. Neither him nor the old lady had ever been particularly religious, but apparently all sanctioned graveyards of Fiore belonged to the Zentopia Church. Silly, but true. He didn't think she'd care much where she was buried, just as long as it was pretty, and the park was definitively that. There were long stretches of grass, many trees of all kinds, and more flowers than even she would have been able to name.

His two buddies, Lucy, the headmaster and even Laxus had accompanied him to the funeral. Together, they travelled down to beautiful and tranquil Magnolia Town where she lived the last years of her life. Heck, the blonde didn't just tag along, he had organised it all.

Bickslow had asked him for help, since he himself had no idea how to go about something like that. Ms. Ericsson never had children of her own and she never married. It was out of choice. He couldn't understand that, but he didn't need to either. She was brilliant and, as her ward, wanted to be the one to take care of this instead of letting her former colleagues or, even worse, her landlord do it. That would have been kind of pitiful, not fitting for her at all.

Laxus had really put everything together. He made sure everyone had been informed. Former colleagues, friendly neighbours, a few other kids that she had helped, and even her doctor turned up.

The local priest held a sermon about some circle of life whoever-the-fuck-cares and anyone that wanted to could speak a few words afterwards. Bickslow didn't. He wouldn't have known what to say, other than, 'she was awesome and this sucks'. Not very deep and kind of obvious. Besides, it would have been really awkward.

Some people shared a memory or spoke words of encouragement to the orphans she had held so dear. That was apparently the one thing absolutely everyone knew about her, because that was her great passion. She was some sort of saint, that much had always been clear to Bickslow and the other kids.

Her doctor took the word as well. He rambled about her charming character for a while and actually went so far as to proclaim an angel had left the world and returned to heaven, at which Bickslow couldn't help but smile. Seems she had been as playful as he remembered her until the very last breath. Heartbreaker. Bless her soul.

As if the world knew she deserved that much, the sun shone brightly the entire day, giving the flowers freshly planted on her grave the energy they would need to grow and blossom.

The rest of the day had been nice enough. Laxus disappeared for a bit to visit his grandfather, whom he apparently had grown up with. The rest of them strolled down to the beach for a while and later they all took the train back home.

Even with that kind of perfect farewell, it wasn't particularly odd that Levy and Gajeel worried a little for him.

“I'm fine”, he ensured them.

It didn't seem to quite satisfy the bluenette, though. “Are you really?”, she questioned. “I mean it's great that you're studying. You know I of all people am glad to see that, really. But if you're just doing this to get your mind off things…” She halted, for once having difficultly finding the right words in her vast vocabulary. “You have to give it time. It's normal to grieve.”

The sweetness of her voice really did not help her case right now. Bickslow was slightly frustrated by the text he was trying to read, definitively sick of all the "I'm sorry"s, and had never been very good at accepting anyone’s pity or well-intentioned comments.

“I said I'm fine!”, he hissed down at the book.

“Don't let it out on us.”

Hearing the hurt in her voice, he instantly regretted it. Looking up, he apologised. “You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm just tired of all this...” He made a vague gesture. “Depressive shit.”

Gaining an odd look, he decided not to try and explain. It sounded stupid even in his own head. Maybe feeling this way made him an insensitive prick, but he just wanted to stop thinking about it. The sooner he got on with life, the better. He had absolutely no desire to roll together on a couch and watch sappy films while eating ice-cream, or whatever else it was people did when they felt like a pile of shit.

Of course he was grieving, but life had to go on. He was fairly used to loosing caretakers and guardians by now, even if that usually didn't mean they had died. He didn't really get as attached to them as one might think, not even to her. He had learned early on not to do that, not to let that happen. And the old lady had been sick for quite some time. It was hardly a surprise.

His sudden interest in school was of a very different nature.

What he wanted, was to advance to the next grade so Laxus would have to keep his promise. Deprived of any other options, like the clubs and bars, that was what he was sure would make him feel better right now.

“I just… I have to focus on this, aright?”

The both of them nodded. “Aright. Just know you can talk to us”, Levy said and Gajeel too took the word. “We're your friends. We're here for you.”

Bickslow nodded a little. He couldn't actually tell them, though, not about that.

All three sat in silence, each focusing on their own. Levy was reading extra languages to shoot her grades up even further while Gajeel focused on the current work and Bickslow instead made sure to catch up and prep for the most important part, the finals.

A few hours passed calmly in the books overflowing hall, but then something disturbed the silence.

Levy slammed a book shut with force and both boys jerked in surprise, looking over at her wide eyed. “What the hell Nerd?”, Bickslow grumbled irritably.

The librarian also looked less that pleased, glaring over to their table. Pressing one finger over her lips, she gave an an angry, “Shhhhhush!”

The bluenette didn't let any of that bother her, though, fuming where she sat. Gajeel and Bickslow exchanged a worried look. She never acted like this, and definitively not out of the blue. “Shrimp? What's wrong?”, her boyfriend asked.

“Nothing”, she growled, picking the dictionary up and bringing it over to the front desk. She discussed with the librarian in a respectfully quiet voice for a while, but looked increasingly frustrated. Before long, she lost her cool, which again was not something she really ever did.

“You've got to be kidding with me”, her voice was heard all the way into the back of the reading hall.

Quickly getting up, Gajeel and Bickslow joined her. “What's going on?”

She sighed and gave Bickslow and almost apologetic look before showing him the page she had opened.

“Hom-Hon”

By the word Homosexual, someone had written across the text with a red ink pen. “Sick bastard (see DSM)”

“What the hell is DSM?”, Gajeel frowned and Bickslow clenched his jaw. That anyone would stoop so low as to refer to that. There was a god damn reason that book had been revised since.

“To simplify it, an index over mental disorders. Gay used to be listed. That was a good while ago, but some ass-hats still use that as an argument”, he explained.

The dark haired man looked shocked for a moment before glaring down at the vandalised page. “Any way to remove it?”

“Look, just ignore it. It's not like it matters”, the librarian sighed and he growled darkly.

She really didn't get it did she? How absolutely ludicrous that statement was? Of course if fucking mattered. Just because they knew it was bullshit didn't mean that it wouldn't add to the overall amount of homophobic content around this school. No discriminating hate could be brushed off like that. None!

He picked the book up and wondered, “So there is no way to fix this page?”

“None that I know of”, she responded tiredly and he nodded, demonstratively ripping the page out and balling the paper together in his hand before tossing it in the waist bin.

“The name's Gajeel Redfox, in case you wanna run that to the reception and get me punished”, he stated, meeting the scandalised expression on the woman's face with perfect calm. Not that she would have needed that information, as unique as his looks were. Dropping the book back down, he collected his stuff and led on out of the room.

“What did you do?! You can't just destroy a library book like that!”, Levy exclaimed as they stood in the hallway.

“I just did”, he shrugged and the bluenette pinched the bridge of her nose. She hadn't meant that literally and Gajeel knew that very well. He could be so annoying sometimes, playing dumb just to get his way.

“We could have at least used tipp-ex or something”, she grumbled, hating to see a book abused, but her boyfriend really didn't care about a fucking piece of paper.

“If someone misses a word on that page they can just look it up online”, he shrugged and Levy groaned.

“That's not the fucking problem”, she hissed irritably.

Bickslow snorted a laugh. The couple was being way too adorable. Levy almost never cursed, but if she did, it was probably because her boyfriend was driving her nuts, like right now.

He leaned back against the wall and clutched his books to his chest in laughter. It just got him thinking about the time when he set them up for their first date. The odd pair had sure gotten a lot of looks when they stared seeing each other, a wild rocker holding hands with a cute and petite bluenette and the both of them laughing their asses off. Brilliant.

When he calmed down and wiped a tear out of his eyes, his friends were watching him with slight bewilderment. “You two… seriously”, he managed, shaking his head a little.

Smiling, he nodded to Gajeel. “Thank you.”

“Don't mention it.”

The dark haired man stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I do hope I don't actually get detention, though.”

“You totally will”, Bickslow sniggered and he sighed dejected.

And the black and blue haired man was right, but at least the apology Gajeel was forced to write was for not controlling his anger and damaging school property instead of going to the reception with the issue, a somewhat soft pedalled and understanding take on the situation.

In order to avoid the now very angry librarian, Levy agreed on studying in the noisy common rooms instead from there on out which was a blessing for Bickslow.

Some days were really tough to get through for the study-shy teenager, and he did pretty much loose interest in everything else until they were ready for the big test, but his friends were patient with him. Lucy didn't complain about his mental absence either. She simply joined them whenever she wasn't doing something for the cheerleading team or hanging out with her other friends.

Once the finals were over, Bickslow felt really nervous. He was pretty sure he had never ever cared about test scores this much before. Thank god the evaluation process was mostly automated and thus quick.

The very next morning, they sat in the classroom and waited for the return. Mr. Conbolt had taken over the distribution for the second grade this year. Of course, as it always was with these things, they had to be last on the list, the headmaster first making his way over to their classroom after more than an hour.

Laxus had decided to spend the time forcing them to read, but how effective that was in a room of anxious teenagers was doubtful.

Once the door opened, everyone put their books down in an instant, eagerly waiting to hear their name. Reading the list aloud, Mr. Conbolt handed the results to each student and then observed with the same amusement as Laxus as they opened the envelopes.

Bickslow opened the large white envelope with enthusiasm. He pulled the sheets of paper out, flipped to the summary, and smirked widely. Looking up, he grinned at his friends. “I didn't fail at least.”

“Good work”, Levy nodded. She looked somewhat displeased with her own paperwork.

“What? Didn't get an A in everything?”, he mocked.

“No, I did, but they didn't list the extracurricular mathematics. I'll have to talk to the reception later”, she grumbled and her boyfriend practically glowed with pride.

“And you Metal Brains?”, Bickslow wondered.

“Wouldn't you like to know?”, the wild man grinned before holding his summary out.

“Better than me”, the black and blue haired man shrugged and he huffed a little.

“That's not saying much.”

“Oy now”, Bickslow chuckled.

He got up and stalked over to his teacher, holding his own summary up demonstratively. This was the reason he had worked so hard after all.

Laxus inspected the paper for a moment and then nodded. “Good work. I knew you could do it”, he stated.

The teenager gave him an expectant look and he thought for half a second. “Meet me at the gates at twelve.” Getting a bright grin, he watched the younger man walk away, leaving their very short lesson with the rest in a chatty jumble.

“Where are you two headed?”, Mr. Conbolt wondered and he swiftly lied, “I'm taking him out for dinner. His reward, I promised.”

“Whatever works. I'm just impressed you managed to motivate the boy.”

He really sounded impressed. If only he knew what the main course would be.

  



	20. Reward

Bickslow happily waited at the gates when the school bells rung to announce noon. He had already changed out of his uniform and was standing in the same trousers he had on that night they met in town. It was actually accompanied by a t-shirt this time around.

Not a minute late, the familiar black car drove up and he hopped into the passenger seat beside his teacher, buckling up.

It would be awesome to get off campus again.

Strictly speaking, he hadn't been grounded any more since a few days ago, but with this promise to collect on, he had stayed in just a little longer. Nothing was allowed to distract him from this goal. He just went to class, then to tutoring, and then studied with his friends. Never had he imagined he would do something like that, but here they were.

“Where are we going?”, he asked happily.

“My place. We can hardly do this in school.”

“We did, thought”, Bickslow teased and got a tired sigh.

“Don't remind me.”

It had been hard enough to try and not think about it, sitting at that damn desk ever day and knowing the teenager was doing his very best just so they'd fuck again.

Bickslow was very pretty when he did that, focusing entirely on the subject at hand and letting his smarts show. Several times during the past week, Laxus had caught himself admiring the younger man, longing for today. Now it was time and he was just as glad as the other looked to be.

He started the car again and drove them out through the open gates.

“If anyone asks, I'm taking you out for dinner as reward. The Thai place by the beach.”

“How romantic”, Bickslow chuckled.

That would have made for a great reward as well, the two of them going out on a date. Of course, they couldn't really do that. If they had decided on a restaurant instead it would have to be very innocent, no candle, no romance. So maybe not.

Watching the blonde drive was nice. His focused face was handsome as hell. In contrast to when they were at school, Bickslow could indulge in that without having to perform at anything. Besides, it would have been weird if he stared in class. But now, here, he could just sit and look.

“What?”, the blonde grumbled after a while and he shrugged a little.

“You're hot is all.”

The teacher didn't react further to that statement, almost actively ignoring it as he drove. That only amused Bickslow further.

Once they were in Laxus's moderately sized apartment again, they took their shoes off at the door and headed for the bedroom. It was obvious the blonde had cleaned a bit, very charming and adorable.

Bickslow smiled a little to himself as he stood here, thinking about what they had done in this room, on that bed, and what they would do now.

As impatient as ever, the blonde beckoned him closer, but he shook his head.

“Na-ah. I decide today.”

He was going to drive the blonde wild again, but this time, he was going to take the reins. After getting a taste of what it was like to see Laxus lie back, letting go of any control, he wanted more. The thought of that little blush on the man's cheeks hadn't left his mind since. But, clearly, Laxus was not comfortable bottoming like that. Bickslow had thought a lot about what direction to take with his little experiment instead and was positive they were both going to enjoy this a lot.

“Fine then. What do you want to do?”, the blonde wondered as casually as he could manage.

A bright grin spread over the teenager's face, leaving Laxus curious. Clearly, the younger man was planning something. It was obvious with the mischief sparkling in his eyes. Hopefully it was nothing too mean. Sure, Laxus knew he could simply say no, but he didn't want to today. If it wasn't completely bad, he wanted to fulfil Bickslow's fantasy.

He watched the teenager draw closer with slow steps, the young man's head tilting to the right ever so little and the dark red eyes raking down his body. The nail polish decorated fingers found their way to the teenager's belt buckle and when he was just a foot from the other, he stopped.

Laxus almost held his breath as they stood so close, the younger man's breath ghosting over his face and those mesmerising eyes snapping back up to meet his own. The expression now on the other's face was nothing Laxus had ever seen before. It wasn't just playfully, eager, and happy, it was possessive. What was it he wanted?

“Take your shirt off and suck me.”

The commanding tone surprised him. Bickslow had never really demanded control over him like this, and usually he wouldn't have allowed it either, but the teenager had this peculiar calm about him. It was as though he knew exactly what was going on in the other's head, without Laxus needing to say it, without him having to worry about it.

Maybe because he had exposed the blonde so entirely last time they had sex, or perhaps because he was so shameless when admitting his own desire and pleasure, but the thought of rolling with it and doing as he was told didn't irk Laxus in the least. He was a little curious if he was to be completely honest.

“Aright”, he agreed.

Unbuttoning his shirt, he let it fall before kneeling down in front of the younger man. He watched as Bickslow unbuckled and freed himself, stroking himself to hardness with a few quick flicks of his wrist.

“Slowly”, the younger man instructed in a husky voice. He reached out, running his fingers through the blond hair and urging Laxus closer.

The older man followed suit, shifting forward and placing a kiss on the hand still wrapped around the exposed length.

If it was slow Bickslow wanted, he could most certainly provide. Teasing over the nimble fingers with his lips, he made sure to not actually nudge the erection that they caressed. Once it had grown to its full length, the teenager let go and he leaned away, instead trailing kisses over the teenager's hips and up a bit under his t-shirt.

The younger man pulled the clothing article off and he kept going, retracing the lines of that well trained stomach before kissing down the hint of treasure trail there was on the man. Glancing up, he saw a highly satisfied smirk on the teenager.

“Does that turn you on?”, Bickslow asked when the orange eyes met his own with such heat while the blonde was on his way down toward his crotch again.

Laxus didn't answer that. He wouldn't have known how to without completely embarrassing himself. This entire role he had taken on here was really not what he was used to. He had thought of Bickslow as a little submissive if anything, but that idea was wiped from his mind entirely today.

Instead of trying to find a verbal response, he decided to shut the younger man up by suddenly engulfing him. The jump from slow teasing did gain him a surprised groan of pleasure, but that did not stop the teenager, having no issue with his own aroused voice.

“I bet it does”, the black and blue haired man mused, scooting one leg between the other's and pressing his foot against the bulging erection yet hidden under cloth.

Laxus gave a slight hiss around the younger man's cock, his body jerking involuntarily at the touch. He had been hard since before even getting home, the promise of sleeping with this beauty again being more than enough enticement.

Bickslow added ever so little pressure to his hold in the blond locks, not so much that he pushed the other down, but just enough to emphasise he shouldn't stop, and he didn't.

“Bet you love it”, the teenager continued to tease, moving his foot ever so little and forcing another sound from the blonde kneeling before him, the vibration teasing his cock in turn.

Had this been any other lay, Laxus would have pulled off and told him to shut it already, but now he felt every mischievous word crawl under his skin. Of course it fucking turned him on when Bickslow was this playful.

Taking a hold of the younger man's hips, he tried to ignore the slight blush creeping to his cheeks and instead focused on pleasuring the teenager. It was what he had promised, and what he had wanted. If this was what got Bickslow off right now, then this is what he would do, no matter what kind of tease the other threw his way.

Bickslow's breathing was heavy. He was mesmerised by the slow bobbing of the blonde's head, eyes downcast and that hint of red on him again. How could someone be this fucking pretty?

Sure he would go crazy with need, he took a measured breath and urged the other man off. Again, the stormy orange eyes looked up, this time in question. Beckoning the blonde back up, he didn't look away, didn't remove his hand from the soft hair.

“Liked it?”, Laxus teased and he smiled.

What the hell kind of question was that even? He was having a hard time keeping to his plan. It was way too tempting to simply let Laxus continue. Kissing the blonde, he let his tongue lick over the other's lips lightly and they parted for him at once. He loved that Laxus tasted ever so slightly of him already.

Humming into the kiss, he let one hand trail down the firm abdominal muscles and press down over the man's crotch. It gained him yet another hiss and he chuckled happily.

“So hard already, just from sucking me.”

Laxus grumbled. To argue it had been the mean tease that did it was not helpful at all, so he complained instead, “Jeez. Will you spare me the commentary?”

Bickslow laughed at that. “What's the fun in that?”

Before Laxus had the chance to come up with a retort, the teenager took a firm hold of his hips and pushed him back onto the bed.

Sitting on the edge of the mattress, the blonde looked up with slight amusement. What now?

“Undress”, the younger man simply prompted, doing the same, and he again followed suit. Loosing the rest of his clothes, he sat back and enjoyed the view of the other standing naked before him once more. Bickslow really was incredibly beautiful with his ridiculously smooth skin.

“Lie down.”

Raising an eyebrow, Laxus hesitated for a moment. He ought to lie down because...?

It didn't actually matter. Even if Bickslow wanted to fuck him, he'd let the teenager. It would be awkward at first, just like it had been in the classroom, but he would do it. He knew the younger man was very attentive.

Bickslow had expected the older man to state it again, that he didn't bottom, but no such protest came. The blonde simply scooted back and lay down, watching him with slight nervousness.

Just to know that Laxus was willing to do this with him made Bickslow feel incredibly happy. He wasn't about to push these boundaries unless Laxus asked him to, though. Not for a long while. The other had looked far too uncomfortable with it last time and it wasn't even really what tickled his fancy either way.

Climbing atop the blonde, he could practically see the anticipation on him. Picking the lube from the bedside table, he let a small amount dribble onto the man's erection before putting it back. Laxus frowned a little when he positioned himself over the firm hips and wrapped his fingers around the slick member to steady and guide it.

Just as he found the right angle, the blonde took a firm hold of his hips.

“Woah, wait. Shouldn't you at least prepare a little first?”

He sounded honestly worried. Cute. Bickslow had made sure they wouldn't have to waste time on preparation today, though. Besides, it wasn't like he hadn't done this entirely without before. It was just important that he had control, that the other didn't buck, and that he went really really slowly.

“Nope. Just hold still”, he stated and kept going.

Laxus kept his eyes glued on Bickslow attentively as the man eased down. He wasn't sure what to think of it. He was a little concerned, not wanting to hurt the other, a little fascinated, because he would not dare to do that, and very turned on by the fact that the younger man actually managed to take him in just like that.

He saw the head of his cock disappear and a moan was all but forced from him. Fuck, Bickslow was tight like this. Grabbing a hold of the sheets instead to reinforce his will not to move, he kept watching in awe until the teenager sat entirely. Bickslow's chest was heaving and lowering in deep breaths and his skin was already slightly flushed.

Laxus had to close his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts. “Fucking hell Bickslow.”

A chuckle met his words and he glanced back up. That overconfident smirk was on the teenager's lips again. “Thought you'd like it”, he teased before straining his legs to move up a little.

He only lifted ever so little at first and came back down, experimentally placing his hands on different parts of the blonde's body. Settling on the sides of the muscular stomach, he finally upped his movement and both of them moaned in pleasure.

Laxus loved the view offered to him. The way Bickslow rode was, for the lack of a better word, intense. He was quick and rough about it, and clearly he was enjoying himself fully. His jaw was hanging slack and his head was tilted back a little, like he aimed to moan at the skies above. The dark red eyes however still inspected his face, observing his every reaction with desire.

Letting his gaze wander away from that pretty face, Laxus lingered for a while at the tense abs before continuing on downward and spotting the younger man's cock, swaying up and down a little in the movement.

Reaching out, he wrapped his hand around it and Bickslow stopped at once, gasping aloud and grabbing a hold of his wrist.

“Don't. I'll come too quickly.”

His voice was raspy and needy, perfect. Laxus really wanted to misbehave and keep going, just to hear more of it. At the same time, he really wanted the other to continue, though.

“My hands need something to do”, he joked.

Bickslow took the hand in his own and led it up over his chest and to his mouth, sucking one of the fingers past his lips. “As does my mouth”, he mumbled around the digit, shooting the blonde a coy look.

It worked perfectly, Laxus giving a low growling sound of desire. He made to sit up, to meet those teasing lips, but Bickslow wouldn't have it. The teenager swept the arm he leaned onto away so he fell back against the pillow.

Placing his hands on the blonde's chest instead, the teenager made it clear he had no intention of letting the older man have his way. Sucking at the finger in his mouth with a taunting hum, he picked his rhythm back up.

Laxus was completely lost at the ferocity, the certainty, and the perfect pleasure of the teenager's movements. He wasn't technically the one bottoming in the traditional sense, but he might just as well have been.

When he felt himself closing in on orgasm, he had no idea if any reasonable amount of time had passed, because in his head all clocks stood still.

“I'll come.”

He had aimed to sound somewhat collected, but that was a laughable attempt as things were. His voice was at least as hoarse and breathy as the other's.

Bickslow smirked.

“Don't.”

He said it as though it was a command, daring the blonde to go against it, and Laxus couldn't help but groan deeply. Who knew it could be that ridiculously hot to be ordered around by a man 7 years younger than yourself? Grabbing a hold of the well trained hips, he forced the teenager to a standstill.

Bickslow was highly displeased to be interrupted and thrown out of his rhythm like that again. “Oy”, he grumbled, giving the older man an expectant look.

Laxus took several greedy breaths before clearing his throat and speaking. “I'm serious. I'll come if you move.”

Taking a hold of the blonde's hands, Bickslow removed them from himself and pinned them down on either side of the man's head instead. Leaning down so far their noses almost touched, he let a sly smirk spread over his face. “Don't. I'm not done playing yet”, he demanded.

“Even if you say that...”, Laxus was about to protest, but the teenager picked his movement back up and his words got stuck in his throat, a raspy gasp instead making its way out. Feeling the teenager's weight on his wrists, he didn't try to move his hands again.

He held back best he could. He tried controlling his breathing, closing his eyes, actively focusing on not coming, but it was in vain. Far too soon, he reached a point where he couldn't possibly control himself any longer, whining with every movement, clinging onto the edge with but a finger.

Bickslow was sure he had never seen anything more beautiful, heard anything as sweet. He watched the blonde practically wring underneath him until he finally snapped and unravelled in a deep grunt, his entire body convulsing on the mattress.

Laxus was glad the teenager at least stilled now, sliding off his spent cock and instead lying down to rest on his stomach, head on his chest.

It seemed to take him forever to calm down again and blink the stars out of his eyes. He was pretty sure he had never come that hard before. What a perfect devil Bickslow was. Feeling something wet on his thigh, he looked down with a frown and Bickslow chuckled.

“You came a lot.”

Blushing, Laxus grumbled a little. “Your fault.”

“Oh no”, the teenager teased sarcastically.

He rolled off the blonde and onto his back, giving a happy sigh.

Following, Laxus leaned over him. Time to finish this. Scooting down, he gave the neglected member a broad lick. A hand found his hair at once and yanked him back firmly. It was very uncomfortable. How anyone could like that was beyond him. Looking up, he raised an eyebrow at the slightly sweaty teenager.

“Nu-uh. I'm not done yet. I studied hard for this reward”, Bickslow mused.

“What then?”

“I do want you to suck me off, but go slow again”, the younger man explained, motioning to his thigh with a finger.

Laxus huffed a laugh. He would never have been able to keep that calm after such feverish sex, but Bickslow wanted to drag it out until it became tortuous, wanted to be adored for just a little longer. He was so incredibly hot like that, needy, desperate even, and yet not the least bit hasty.

Complying, Laxus started teasing all over again.

Bickslow loved the look in those orange eyes when the blonde moved down and started kissing his leg, slowly working his way up the inside of his thigh and taking every little shift and sigh in with such concentration. The warm hand following the same pattern on the other side made him delirious.

It was painfully obvious how much he loved the treatment. Moaning softly at the caressing touches, he ran his fingers though the blond hair. Laxus kissed so closely to his scrotum he almost lost it.

What he had not expected was the firm hands taking his hips and flipping him over. They ran down to his butt and he jolted violently with the feeling of a warm tongue lapping over his ass.

“Laxus!”, he exclaimed in surprise.

“What? Are you complaining?”, the blonde teased, reaching around his hips to wrap one hand around his cock as he did it again.

The teenager's fingers dug into the sheets as the blonde only very lightly stroked him while his tongue did all the work. It was like nothing Bickslow had ever experienced, and that was saying something when it came to sex.

His toes curled and his back arched down against mattress. The blonde's hold on his hip was so firm it didn't matter how much he wiggled and shook, that amazing feeling wasn't going away.

Laxus smirked to himself as he continued, seeing the younger man loose it so completely at this. He had found his way of taking back control after all. The sweet moans and whines ringing though the room filled him with pride. The salty taste of his own cum was of little concern to him when he got to see and hear all this.

Not focusing properly, he was mildly surprised when he felt the warm fluid pulse over his fingers and Bickslow called out in a throaty moan.

“Oh! By Mavis! Fuck!”

Laxus chuckled a little. It was rather old fashioned to call upon a saint as curse. He wouldn't have thought Bickslow even knew who that was.

“Mavis, eh?”, he teased, letting go of the teenager and stroking the cum off on the sheets. They were dirty now either way.

“Oh shut it”, Bickslow complained tiredly. It seemed he had meant to sound snappy, but it came out very weak.

Watching the younger man roll back over, Laxus smiled to himself. He was definitively satisfied with today and it didn't seem Bickslow had anything to complain about either. The teenager pulled him down for a deep kiss before attempting to sit up.

“That was easily worth it”, he grinned and Laxus shook his head with a chuckle. 'Worth it', the teenager had god damn drained him.

“Lets shower so we don't smell like sex when I drop you off.”

Bickslow nodded a little. He hated this part. Why did they have to go back to normal after this? It sucked so bad. Who knew when he'd get the chance again. If he would get the chance again.

They rinsed off together and Bickslow left the room again very quickly. Once Laxus had towelled off and followed, he found the teenager on his balcony, all dressed again and having a smoke.

Making a face, he buttoned his shirt up entirely and walked over to stand in the door.

“Stop smoking already.”

Turning around, Bickslow leaned back against the railing and gave him an unimpressed smile.

“Make me.”

Sighing, Laxus shook his head. “How? And I'm not talking about just getting you to toss that one. I want you to stop. Entirely.”

The drawn out silence between them almost worried him. Was that too much to ask? Why, though? It was for his own damn health, so what was the problem? Bickslow seemed very thoughtful, like he couldn't decide.

“What?”, Laxus finally prompted and he forced a fake smile before answering.

“Promise me you won't leave me. Promise me you will be there, always, that once I graduate Fairy Tail I will have a future with the man I love.”

Laxus's eyes widened. Love. That was a big word. Now he knew why there had been such hesitation.

He felt almost bad for not being sure about all that. How on Earth Land would they even work that out? It was far too complicated. What they were doing, it was wrong as it was. If he promised something like that, it had to be a hundred percent. He had to be sure, and he really wasn't.

“Bickslow I...”

He didn't have to find the words he needed to express what he did not even fully understand himself, because the tone of his voice was enough for the teenager to interrupt him.

“Thought so”, he stated matter of factly.

Stepping outside, Laxus frowned at him. “Is that why you keep wrecking yourself? You don't think there's anything out there for you?”

The teenager shrugged a little, looking out over the street below and taking another drag. “I know there isn't. All I have is to live fast and to live now, 'cause it'll be over soon.”

“That's not true”, the blonde protested at once and he raised an eyebrow.

“No? It sure seems like it.”

Laxus really didn't know what to say to that, didn't know how to possibly convince the other. He stood silent for far too long, missing the moment, and Bickslow finally continued for him.

“We should get back. Eating out doesn't take all that long.”

Pressing the bud out on the railing, he simply let it fall and Laxus made a face. “Litterbug”, he hissed, but Bickslow merely shrugged.

“Sue me.”

Laxus looked after the teenager for several long seconds. How was it everything could go from absolutely perfect to bad this quickly? And why wasn't he able to stop it?

  


 


	21. Research

Laxus had decided. He needed to find out more. It was clear to him after he dropped Bickslow back off at school and the teenager walked away without as much as a look back. It was as though he had already put everything from the past two hours behind himself, thrown it overboard in a high arch. He did seem to have a tendency to get these kinds of mood swings, if you could call it that.

Laxus was worried about the young man, seriously worried. After everything Bickslow had been through, and he probably didn't even know half of it, something was seriously amiss. The teenager genuinely didn't seem to think there was anything of value for him in this world, nothing to cherish or fight for.

Again, he sought information from the principal, but Mr. Conbolt didn't know much more about Bickslow's past either. He had been informed of the teenager's circumstances in vague terms when the young man started at Fairy Tail. He knew Bickslow was an orphan, that he had experienced physical confrontations with supposedly responsible adults in the past and that he thus might be a little hard to work with, but not much more.

It had never occurred to him to ask for further details and he seriously questioned why anyone at the school would need to. Unless it was about academic performance or required some form of special treatment from their side, it was not their business. The students were entitled to their privacy like any other human.

Stating all that, he clearly thought that Laxus was being a bit too nosy, and perhaps he was right, but that wasn't about to stop the blonde now. He wanted to, no, he needed to know what was going on, so that whatever happened in the future, he would be able to stand on Bickslow's side instead of accidentally saying the wrong thing and hurting him further.

After a bit of digging, he managed to get a hold of the teenager's caseworker and she at least seemed to sympathize with his effort, inviting him to come to the state care centre and have a talk. Sadly, she wasn't going to be back in office for another month, so for the time being he could do little other than wait and watch.

He became a real pain in the ass for the teenager in the meantime, making sure the black and blue haired man couldn't simply slip away whenever he pleased. He did this by asking Bickslow for his location at random times and then actually checking if he was there. That way, he could actively prevent the young man from going back to his old habits during the rather lonely summer break.

The resentment he got in return was painful, but he was determined. The only thing easing the situation was that he could spend a little time with the student in between their fights, talk about something else while they walked back to where the teenager was supposed to be.

It was about the only reason Bickslow didn't stop responding. He could have changed his number or blocked Laxus, but he didn't, and clearly not solely to avoid the confrontation something like that would cause.

The very first day the social worker was in office again, Laxus headed down to meet with her.

Parking his car, he looked over the building with a frown. It was a very depressing sight. The entire thing was build in concrete, all grey and boring. Thick iron bars protected the windows of the lower levels. It reminded him uncomfortably much of a prison.

To top it off, the centre lay in the absolutely worst part of town. The only vacants he knew off were around here and if the wind came from the wrong direction, you could smell the miasma of the garbage burning in the incineration plant. To think this was where Bickslow had to go if he wanted to talk, to get help. Laxus didn't even want to know how it looked where the teenager was from.

The experience only got worse when he reached the door, realising it was locked and the area monitored by cameras. Incredibly uninviting. Sighing, he rang the bell and was buzzed inside.

At least the interior was a lot more pleasant. A few plants and benches had been arranged around the entrance hall in order to make you feel comfortable and the barred windows were hidden behind thin curtains.

The receptionist smiled at him as he approached.

“Hi. I'm here to meet with...” He pulled the note he had scribbled down out of his pocket. “Rose Tate.”

Nodding, the man tapped on his keyboard. It was awfully loud in the silent room. Mixing with the annoyingly loud ticking from the large wall clock, it created a very awkward atmosphere.

“Laxus Dreyar?”, the man asked and he nodded.

“Please have a seat.”

“Thanks.”

Walking over to the benches, he sat down and repressed a sigh at the sad creak the furniture gave. He felt like he had landed in the wrong fucking film. Everything was pretty shitty, but at least there was a flower standing on the windowsill to mask the fact. These sorts of places weren't supposed to really exists, were they? You'd think a place where orphans get help should be nice and happy, or at least encouraging, not… this.

Waiting impatiently, he watched a handful of people walk in.

First was a young boy, perhaps fifteen years old, here to meet his caseworker about something. He looked tired, just tired. The thick dark rings under his eyes told of a harsh reality that he couldn't take any vacation from.

Another teenager looked happier, excited even as he waited for his appointment. It seems at least someone was getting the opportunity to turn his life around. Laxus knew nothing about the boy, but somehow, the cheery smile made him feel a little happy as well.

The third time the door opened, two women walked inside, one of them with a small child on her arm. They seemed anxious, cuddling with the little being a lot, as though afraid to loose their precious child.

One after another, they were called away again and he once more sat alone in the silent room, only the typing fingers of the receptionist and the ticking of that damned clock echoing around him. Who the fuck saw that thing and thought, 'yes, just what we need, an obnoxious reminder of how slowly time passes'?

After what felt like an eternity, a brown haired woman in simple shirt and skirt stopped by the desk and looked up from her mobile phone in a slightly stressed manner, quickly searching the room. Her eyes fixed on Laxus and she forced a smile. “Mr. Dreyar?”

He got up and nodded, “Yea. Hi.”

“Welcome. I'm Rose Tate”, the woman introduced herself, shaking his hand hurriedly before motioning him to come along.

Just as they made to walk away, the front door opened once more and three young women entered, one of them in tears. Mascara had run down her pretty face and her eyes were all red and swollen. Laxus felt like he had been hit in the guts at the sight. His instincts screamed at him to go help, but he knew he wasn't really qualified to do anything here right now.

The receptionist came over to the girls and had them sit down. Handing them tissues and kneeling down before the distraught teenager, he seemed to have a handle on the situation.

Hearing an exhausted sigh from the caseworker, Laxus frowned a little. Didn't she care at all? Or was it that usual? That was an uncomfortable thought. “Come on”, she merely said and he hesitantly walked after her through the long white corridors, past numerous locked doors.

They entered a small office and Ms. Tate closed the door behind them. Taking a seat, Laxus watched the woman round the table and sit down at the opposite end before meeting his eyes. She gave a small smile and ensured, “Don't worry about her. She is in the right place. We'll help her.”

“Yea, sure… It's just hard to watch.”

“Tell me about it. I work here”, the woman sighed and he understood that her apparent disinterest was a coping mechanism. It really was that usual. He didn't want to think about what might have happened to the poor girl.

“I understand it you wanted to talk about Bickslow?”, she began and he nodded.

“Yes, that's right. I'm his teacher and I'm a little worried about him”, he said, handing his id and teacher's license over as proof.

After typing on her computer and clicking around for a few minutes to confirm it, the woman gave another forced smile and handed the items back. “It's a security thing, I hope you understand. I'm not usually the suspicious type, but any information about the kids are confidential”, she said almost apologetically.

“Not at all. It's important”, Laxus responded as he pocketed the cards again.

“I hope you understand that anything you hear here is to be handled with discretion”, Ms. Tate added and he nodded.

“Of course. The students' private lives are hardly water cooler gossip.”

Picking up a pen as though ready to take notes, the brown haired woman asked, “Did Bickslow do something?”

Laxus chose not to answer that. Oh, the trouble maker did a lot, like sneaking out, drinking and smoking, but that was probably not what she was asking about. That was a bit too typical teenage shenanigans for such a concerned tone of voice.

“No. Why?”, he wondered instead.

“The kid has been through a lot and sometimes he acts in ways that are not exactly helpful”, Ms. Tate stated, again sounding incredibly tired.

He had heard that the people working in the system were overburdened and stressed, but damn. This woman had just gotten back from a vacation and she looked like she had pulled several all-nighters in the past week alone.

“Like what?”, he asked.

“For instance stealing or attacking one of his room mates and breaking the kid's nose.”

Since they weren't familiar, he couldn't quite read the woman's tone of voice, but it was clearly not solely caring. If he had to guess, he'd say annoyance was in the mix. The content of what she said was what really shocked him, though.

“Bickslow did that?”

There had to be more to this. Or at least so he hoped. He didn't want to believe that Bickslow would hurt anyone intentionally.

“I'm afraid so. These children can have a very hard time adapting and sometimes it happens that they lash out, even violently. Bickslow for one beat up his foster brother, and that just as he had landed in a good home”, Ms. Tate said in a now clearly bitter tone. She seemed to think Bickslow had messed up badly, putting stones in his own path like that.

Laxus repressed the urge to contradict her statement even though he knew better. If he made a fuss now he would either turn the social worker against him and not get further with his questions or potentially give reason for an investigation that he didn't know if Bickslow even wanted.

“Has he ever seen a psychiatrist?”, he asked instead.

“Yes, of course. Why?”

“Well, I'm afraid he might be… Maybe I am overreacting, but he talked about his future and how he didn't have one. He said that all he had in life was now and that it'd be over soon.”

“Oh dear. He has tried to kill himself before”, the brunette sighed, rubbing a hand over her forehead.

Now he was really starting to get pissed at the attitude. This woman didn't seem to care, or didn't have the energy to care any more. Either way, it annoyed the hell out of him. She just seemed to find it troublesome that the teenager was causing problems. Biting back any reaction in favour of continuing the conversation, he instead asked for details.

“He has?”

“Yes. He has been brought back by police twice when he was stopped from jumping and in one orphanage he took a kitchen knife and rammed it into his own arm. The caretakers found him unconscious on the floor and called an ambulance. It's lucky he's alive.”

Laxus swallowed hard. That's what that scar on the teenager's wrist was from. No wonder he didn't want to talk about it. Remembering how the old injury looked, how it felt under his fingers, he was shocked. That had not just been a gentle cut.

He could imagine the scene all too well. Bickslow, lying on the ground, blood around him and a sharp cutter beside him. His imagination was running wild with it, making the unspecified knife out to be some kind of cleaver.

The brunette made a face and nodded a little as if to communicate she agreed with whatever emotion he was feeling right now. She clearly didn't have any idea just how sick he was feeling.

“Bickslow has also been drinking excessively and taken drugs. A few of those incidents could be interpreted as suicide attempts as well. He had to know as well as any other that alcohol and sleeping pills don't mix. That is what I got from the files, either way.”

Files. So she hadn't been his caseworker for very long then, hadn't been there to see any of this happen. Now that he thought about it, it was rather obvious. Bickslow had only been in Hargeon since he started at Fairy Tail. Having a caseworker in the same city mean he had to have gotten a new one at that point.

“I had no idea”, he murmured just to stop sitting there all quiet.

“There has been a lot of improvement since, though”, Ms. Tate added as thought to cheer him up again.

“I wouldn't worry too much. Nothing has happened since he started at Fairy Tail. I think the distance has done him good and he did finally pull through and become a senior”, she smiled.

Laxus was getting increasingly frustrated. How the hell could she just shrug this off just like that? He would have been angry, but again he didn't know if her attitude wasn't simply due to having seen these kinds of things one too many times already.

That thought was even worse than the possibility that this particular woman might simply be a horrible person. Then it would at least only be one caseworker and not a broken system, a broken kingdom.

“I kind of bribed him into making the jump to third grade”, he admitted.

Ms. Tate chuckled a little. “It must have been something very tempting. What did you bribe him with?”, she wondered light-heartedly.

“Thai food”, Laxus lied yet again.

Her eyebrows raised at that. “I'm surprised that worked.”

“Yea. Me too.”

How awkward. He shouldn't have mentioned it. Oh well, too late. At least she bought it without further questioning.

“Well, that must mean he really is rather happy now”, the brunette smiled and Laxus forced himself not to react to that. He just hoped that statement held true even with the reality of things.

When there was a moment's silence, Ms. Tate asked, “He is in a student band if I am informed correctly?”

“Yea. They're actually really good.”

She clapped her hands together with the cheer of an overenthusiastic preschool teacher, tying to motivate a bunch of children. “See, he peruses hobbies. That is very good. I'm sure it's fine. Either way, I have another meeting soon, so we should wrap this up.”

Taking a measured breath as not to let her disinterest annoy him, Laxus nodded and stood. “Thanks for talking to me”, he forced out before taking his leave.

Was she always like that? He sure hoped not.

Reaching the reception again, he saw that the young girls were now surrounded by a couple of people, among them police officers.

God, he did not want to know what was going on. He so did not want to know. Trying to force his mind to stop, to shut it out and not ponder it further, he walked out the door.

Crossing the parking lot again, he sat down behind the steering wheel and took a long, deep breath.

He had a lot to process.

  



	22. When You're Done Here

Once July came around, summer school commenced.

The entirety of Fairy Tail was ghostly quiet. Most had fled as soon as they could, travelling in all directions to meet family and friends. Not many stayed during the break, but those that did had to participate in summer school from July on until school started again properly.

The days were very short, only four hours long and that only four days a week. The students that attended got a head start into the next year, which always made a notable difference on their performance. It was thus not only those that had no other option that decided to stay or at least cut their vacation short.

That Levy had come back early was no great surprise. She was an exceptional student. Gajeel and Bickslow on the other hand were among the students that hadn't left at all. For the black and blue haired man at least, Laxus knew that was not by choice.

Since he didn't have much else to do, he had volunteered to hold summer school for the second grade. They would mix the classes and gather everyone in the first reading hall from the entrance. Only sixteen students in total were supposed to be there, four of them from his class.

Walking though the door with the ring of the bell, Laxus instantly realised that Bickslow wasn't in the room as he was supposed to.

Just like last time, the blonde simply sat down and took attendance before pointing out that the man was missing and taking measures to find him. Instructing the students to start familiarising themselves with the history book, he got up and left.

What a troublemaker, honestly.

Reaching the reception, he smiled at Ms. Astor's substitute. “A student is missing. Can you get someone to hold my class for a little while while I look for him?”

“Shouldn't the guards be doing that?”, the man pointed out and he nodded, “Yes, usually, but I think I know where he is. It won't take long.”

Seeming slightly unsure, but nodding, the man confirmed, “Aright then. I will tell Mr. Conbolt.”

“Thanks.”

Heading upstairs, Laxus walked out onto the roof and could instantly confirm that he had been right by the smell of tobacco. Rounding the stairwell, he found the teenager sitting with a cigarette in hand, leaning back against the wall as usual.

The dark red eyes were looking out into the distance. He knew Bickslow had noticed him. The door was heavy and thus loud. The teenager was just ignoring him again.

“I figured I'd find you here”, he said to force the teenager to react.

“Yea well, here I am”, he got a slightly bitter response.

Bickslow had to have known he would come. The teen clearly knew that it was the first day of summer school, hiding up here instead of just running around campus. What had caused him to stay away, though? He had at least put the third grade uniform on, so he clearly intended to come to class sooner or later. Just as Laxus had suspected, the senior wore his tie askew. Hopeless.

That idiot was going to make his new uniform smell of tobacco before school even officially started.

Taking a seat beside the student, Laxus sighed a little. “Toss it”, he urged, but Bickslow merely raised an eyebrow at him, bringing the smoke to his lips again. Growling a little, Laxus leaned in and gave the man a small peck.

Bickslow was actually mildly surprised the blonde didn't simply take the cigarette away forcefully. They had been arguing a lot lately. The last time they were face to face was only three days ago when Laxus found him in town and forced him back to campus. It had been quite the shouting match.

He put the cigarette out without further protest. He hadn't even really felt like taking a smoke, but he had expected Laxus to come for him sooner or later and needed to mask the smell of vodka somehow.

“I'm becoming a little predictable, huh?”, he mumbled.

“You used to change spots often?”, Laxus wondered.

Bickslow felt a smile tug at his lips. So they could talk without screaming and hissing today? He liked that. If he could sustain it for a little longer by answering, he would.

“I didn't usually stay in the same place this long.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

That forced a laugh from him. “Enjoying what? Being stuck in school?” Especially now that he had the blonde looming over him all the fucking time. Hell no.

Laxus shrugged a little. “You sure don't seem to rush to get out at least”, he argued.

Raising an eyebrow at the teacher, Bickslow shook his head. He had a point, no matter how annoying that was. “I guess not”, he admitted.

He could have finished this year already since there only were three grades at Fairy Tail. He still thought it was a little odd, but apparently that was the standard in neighbouring countries where a lot of the students either came from or aimed to go. It was enough to go to college or university afterwards as well because of the tight schedule they were forced to keep.

“I guess I enjoy the calm around here. I have my own room, friends, a hot girlfriend, a band...” He stopped for a moment and looked away again. While all that was true, the real issue was not what he would leave, but where he would go. Once Levy and Gajeel were done here, he had no idea what he ought to do.

“Besides, what the fuck should I do once I leave either way?”, he murmured.

Laxus took a measured breath as the thought of Bickslow tying to take his own life came back in vivid detail. He still couldn't quite believe it. The teenager seemed so cheerful most of the time.

He put his hand over the teenager's and the dark red eyes snapped to him in surprise. They were so pretty, this young man so lovable. Whenever they where together like this, on their own, he completely lost his cool.

To think Bickslow might not even be here today. It was scary. If anything happened to the black and blue haired man, Laxus wouldn't know what to do, how to go on. He couldn't get the teenager out of his head any more. He wanted to be with the other, constantly and in every way. He hated seeing Bickslow struggle, didn't mind that he had to go out of his way for the man so often.

What more proof could he possibly need? He loved Bickslow.

There was nothing more to consider, to be unsure about. He couldn't imagine a life without the teenager at his side like this, within his reach. Bringing the hand up to his face, he placed a soft kiss on it.

Bickslow smiled at the adorable gesture of affection. He slowly entwined their fingers as the blonde lowered their hands again, savouring the moment.

Laxus cleared his throat and asked in a soft tone of voice, “Hey. If you graduate, how about we meet again in that club? For the first time?”

Frowning deeply, Bickslow eyed the older man. What the hell had gotten into Laxus? “You mean?...”, he asked in confusion.

The blonde shifted a little and then met his gaze. “I mean, if we were student and teacher before and then, after you graduated, we met somewhere and hooked up, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that.”

The teenager hesitated, his eyes slimming a bit. Laxus couldn't really be serious, could he? Why would he? Why would he possibly want something like that? Bickslow couldn't make sense of it.

“Is this just to make me stop smoking?”

Laxus shook his head. What an idiot. Of course not. “Not only. I really like you. You must have realised that by now”, he responded earnestly.

Bickslow blushed a little. It was a very cute look on him. Averting his eyes again, he mumbled, “You're not exactly flaunting your interest.”

Nudging the teenager's head back to face him, Laxus retorted, “But you're smart. You should be able to figure it out.”

“You do know I have horrid grades, right?”, the young man joked and he failed to force away his chuckle.

“I also know you managed to get them up enough to make it into a higher grade within weeks.”

Bickslow smiled innocently.

“You're dumbing yourself down on purpose. Do you realise what potential you could have?”, the blonde asked and Bickslow shrugged a little. It didn't seem to interest him much.

“If you're gonna finish any way, you might as well do it with good grades and get into university, make something of yourself”, Laxus tried.

“I just want to make music.”

“A good job leaves more money to sustain a hobby.”

The dark red eyes met his again and that familiar mischievous grin spread over the teenager's lips.

“Wow. You're actually a good influence sometimes”, he teased.

“Oy now. Don't overdo it”, Laxus joked back and the black and blue haired man laughed heartedly. Finally, he got to hear that sound again. It had been too long already.

Leaning in, he gave the younger man a proper kiss before letting go if his hand and standing back up. “Come on, lets go back or they really will have to send the guards out.”

“Let them”, Bickslow shrugged, but he wouldn't have it. Even with this, he still had to fulfil his role as teacher.

“I will report this and they will know where to find you in the future”, he threatened.

Bickslow clicked his tongue in irritation. “You go from nice to boring way too quickly”, he complained as he picked himself up off the ground.

Laxus was about to walk over to the door when he felt the teenager tugging at his shirt. Stopping, he saw Bickslow's eyes downcast, his entire stance very insecure. He seemed awfully coy all of a sudden. It was uncharacteristic and slightly worrying.

“What is it?”, Laxus asked.

“Does that mean we can meet again soon? Like at your place?”, Bickslow asked. They would meet almost every day now, but not as them, as Bickslow and Laxus, just as student and teacher. It wasn't the same. After the blonde's confession, he wanted more than that. He just worried that Laxus might not agree, that he had meant they should to put all of this on hold somehow until a year from now. He almost held his breath as he waited for an answer.

“Maybe during a weekend, if we're careful.”

Exhaling slowly, Bickslow nodded. “Right.”

He was happy as he followed his teacher back downstairs. The weekend. He couldn't wait!

Reaching the reception again, Laxus reported he had retrieved the missing student and Mr. Conbolt stepped out into the hallway as well. He did not look happy.

“Where was he?”, he asked irritably.

“Just taking a stroll around the park”, Laxus lied.

He wasn't going to give the roof away. This way there was a space where the teenager could be alone at least for a few moments. It was enough if he alone knew where to find Bickslow.

The principal gave the student a meaning look and beckoned with one finger, but Laxus interrupted, “A word?”

A bit surprised, Mr. Conbolt nodded, instead telling Bickslow in a stern voice to take a seat by the reception and wait.

The teenager truly wondered what it was Laxus wanted so urgently it couldn't wait until after he had his detention slip and could get back to class. His surprise was great when he was let off the hook once the two men returned and Laxus proceeded to escort him to the classroom.

“What's that about?”, he wondered.

“Would you have preferred it if I had kept quiet?”, Laxus teased and he chuckled.

“Oh, yea, that's exactly what I mean. The only reason I do stuff like this is to get caught so I can experience the joys of detention again.”

A small smile formed on the blonde's lips.

“I just told him you need a break. It's summer after all, and you're stuck here with me”, he explained.

It was exactly how Bickslow felt. It was unfair. He hadn't chosen to take summer school. It was just that he didn't have any other options. He hadn't thought anyone else even reflected on that, always telling him what good fortune it was he got this kind of extra classes.

“Thanks.”

“Just don't do it again. That excuse will only work once.”

  



	23. Something Else

Laxus was mildly surprised when there was a knock at the door. He pulled a t-shirt on as he stalked out of the living room. To open in only tracksuit bottoms seemed a little indecent since he didn't even know who his visitor might be. Maybe one of his neighbour needed a cup of sugar or something. Not that he could provide.

Opening the door, he found no neighbour, but Bickslow standing in the hallway, a happy grin plastered on his face.

“Bickslow?! What the hell are you doing here?!”, Laxus demanded as he pulled the teenager inside. He looked around shortly to make sure they hadn't been seen and closed the door, turning to the black and blue haired man wide eyed.

“Seriously?! What are you thinking?!”

Bickslow pouted a little, crossing his arms over his chest. “You were taking far too long with inviting me over. You said the weekend. It's Sunday already. So... you know”, he answered meekly.

Laxus gave an irritated sigh. Closing his eyes in resignation, he pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and middle finger. He had said a weekend. A. Not the next. “I didn't mean… geh.”

Looking back at the teenager, he was met by an unusual picture. The usually so cocky man now had his eyes downcast. Shoulders slouching, he shifted back toward the door a little.

It was the second time Laxus saw this adorable timid expression on the other. What was that about? Was Bickslow feeling insecure? The overconfident vixen? The perfect mischievous devil? It was hard to believe.

“You're not happy to see me?”, Bickslow murmured.

Realising first now that he had used his disapproving teacher voice on the teenager, Laxus shook his head. He took a hold of the teenager's shoulders, stepping closer and meeting the dark red eyes.

“Of course I am.”

To his dismay, Bickslow didn't seem entirely convinced. He really had to work on his communication skills, didn't he? In his defence, he was hardly used to this sort of thing, someone just turning up out of nowhere in the middle of the day. It had never happened before. He had never been this close with anyone crazy enough to do that.

“I am happy. You just surprised me, aright?”

That brought back a smile to the younger man's face. Mimicking the emotion, Laxus leaned in and gave him a peck.

“Tea?”

Bickslow nodded. “Yes please.”

He took his shoes off before following the blonde into the kitchen. Watching Laxus search for his tea kettle was a little amusing. Had there been apartments entirely without kitchen, that would probably have been a better fit for the man.

A beautiful image formed in Bickslow's mind. He imagined what it might be like, cooking for the older man every day, eating together here. He was jumping way ahead of himself, he knew that, but he couldn't help it. He was just so damn happy. This was the first time they hung out after both of them had confessed their feelings. It was special.

“You are unbelievable, you know that?”, Laxus began in a lecturing tone. “What if someone had spotted you?”

Right. That was why Laxus reacted the way he did, not because he didn't like it. He ought to have realised it at once, but his worry simply got the better of him in these situations. It still seemed so alien that Laxus actually liked him, as in, really liked him. Mainly because he couldn't see why.

“I made sure no one did”, he ensured the blonde.

“You made sure?”, Laxus asked sceptically.

“Yea. There was no one on the street when I headed inside. No one saw me.”

Laxus finally found the teapot and set it down on the counter, instead looking around for where he had put that elusive tea package.

“Still. You scared the hell out of me”, he grumbled.

That gained him a laugh. “I noticed. You're rather skittish aren't you?”

While he loved to hear that happy voice, he did not like the implication. Not bothering with an answer, he merely clicked his tongue at the teenager and got another giggle.

Finishing up, he handed the younger man a cup of tea and shooed him into the living room. As soon as Bickslow was out of sight, he picked his phone from his pocket and called Mirajane. It struck him while he waited how odd it was. He felt almost guilty, not for being with Bickslow, but for calling her while he was.

When she finally answered, he quickly got to the point. He wanted no questions.

“Something came up. I can't come over today. Rain check?”

“Oh. Okay. See you tomorrow then.”

She was clearly disappointed. He was horrible, playing this game. Maybe it really was time to stop. Either way, this was hardly the time to think about it.

“Yea. Tomorrow. Bye.”

With that, he hung up. Picking his own hot cup from the counter, he headed over into the living room. Bickslow had made himself at home, drawn his feet up on the couch. He looked adorable like that, curled up and sipping at his beverage.

The teenager had been over twice before, but they had never even really been in this room together. It felt almost weird that it was so natural for them to be together like this all of a sudden. After all the pushing and pulling, knowing the other felt the same, it was just right.

Bickslow looked up at him and set his cup down.

“Sorry.”

Frowning, Laxus wondered, “For what?” He had made it clear he was happy Bickslow was here, hadn't he?

“You cancelled something”, the teenager said.

While, yes, it would have been customary to call before just swinging by, he rally didn't mind. He would much rather be with him than with her. He figured it wasn't a good idea to mention Mirajane right now, though.

“It's fine. Don't worry about it”, he merely waved it off.

Setting his cup down on the coffee table, he took a seat beside the teenager and leaned in to kiss him. The younger man turned to him entirely at once, the nimble hands finding his shoulders.

Bickslow was so happy to be here, with Laxus, just Laxus. He slipped his tongue into the other's mouth shortly before nudging the man's head to the side and nipping along the blonde's neck. He sought out that sweet spot again, teasing it with his lips.

“Bickslow.”

He caught the hesitation in the other's voice at once and sat back, meeting the orange eyes. Laxus seemed a little tense. Again fearing he had been more of a nuisance than the blonde would admit, Bickslow wondered, “What's wrong?”

Laxus shrugged a little. “I just thought maybe we could do something else.”

“Oh. Okay. Like what?”

Fuck that sounded stupid. Bickslow wanted to kick himself. Like the only thing he knew how to do was have sex with the other. Why would he say something like that? He was an idiot.

Laxus shrugged again. He just wanted something else, something not purely physical for once. He needed it confirmed, that this was real, that his was more than sex to the both of them.

“We could watch a film”, he suggested and Bickslow smiled, nodding a little.

“I think I have some popcorn lying around”, Laxus added thoughtfully.

“I'll look for it while you find something to watch. You don't know your own kitchen any ways”, the teenager teased and got up.

“Brat.”

He was glad the younger man didn't mind the idea at least. Leaving the couch as well, he walked over to the bookshelf and crouched down to where his DVD's stood. Looking over the selection, he wondered. What did Bickslow even like? They still knew rather little about each other.

Looking up, he simply asked aloud. “What kind of films do you like?”

“Dunno. Anything but gore”, the teenager called out of the other room.

Laxus's eyes fell upon one film in particular. He picked the DVD up, but hesitated. He never really let anyone know he enjoyed this one, but Bickslow might just like it too. Clearing his throat discretely, he suggested as casually as he could manage, “Romance?”

He crossed his fingers as he waited for a response. The teenager didn't seem like the kind of macho guy that had to hate romantic films just because, but Laxus knew that he himself did seem like exactly that kind of person and he was slightly touchy on the subject.

“Sounds great!”, Bickslow called happily.

A romance film, that sounded just perfect. He wouldn't have thought Laxus had something like that. The blonde had many surprises left for him it seemed. Finding a package of dry popcorn in the back of a cupboard, he picked out a pan and got to making some.

Once he returned to the living room, he spotted the DVD case and smiled brightly. There were two adorable looking young men on the cover, eyeing another in that theatrical but perfectly loving way.

“It's really good”, Laxus almost defended and he sniggered.

“I don't doubt it. I'm just surprised.”

Flopping down beside the blonde, he set the snack bowl down so they both could reach it and happily watched the film together with the older man.

He was right, it was really good. The story was funny, loving, complicated. The homophobic glances the pair got hit very close to home, but it was encouraging to see them overcome any difficulties.

Leaning against the blonde's shoulder to cuddle, he noticed how Laxus tensed ever so little and looked up to spot a tear in the orange eyes. Turning to the older man, he reached out to stroke it away.

“Aright there?”, he wondered softly.

“I'm fine”, Laxus grumbled in embarrassment, waving his hand as though to distract.

“Don't mind it. I like a sensitive guy”, Bickslow mused and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Honestly, Laxus was such a teddy bear. A gruff and scary looking, but incredibly cuddly teddy bear. And he had said he liked Bickslow. Smiling brightly, the teenager shortly rested his forehead against the other's. He had every intention of getting out of the way again, but Laxus held him close, kissing him again.

The blonde ran a hand down his side and sneaked under the tank-top, licking over his lips. Tempted, Bickslow hummed a little, but he really wanted to know how the story would end now.

“I thought you wanted to watch the film.”

“And now I don't”, Laxus murmured.

He would probably have given in at that hadn't the characters on the screen gotten into a fight right then. What could he say? He was a sucker for drama. “It's almost over”, he said and the blonde chuckled.

“Fine.”

He stopped, letting go of the teenager so they could turn back to the film. He did however keep nuzzling against the black and blue hairline. He already knew how it ended, so there was no reason to focus.

Bickslow on the other hand was fascinated as the last segment played out. They ran away together, far away. A beautiful image of them walking down the street hand in hand ended it all, but a backpack each, and their hearts filled with hope.

Waiting a little to let the teenager enjoy the moment, Laxus finally put the half empty bowl of popcorn aside and pulled the younger man into his lap. Laughing, Bickslow looked over his shoulder.

“And people call me playful.”

Having the teenager in his arms like this, hearing him laugh, Laxus felt his heart flutter.

Bickslow was so pretty. And he smelled great. Tugging the tank top up again, Laxus ran his hands down along the man's stomach until he found the cloth belt. The shiver that went down the younger man's back was great.

Undoing the clasp and diving under the layers of cloth, he wrapped his hand around the half-hard member and got a surprisingly loud hiss of pleasure.

“Sensitive today?”, he teased.

“You know I haven't gotten laid in over a month because of you, right?”, Bickslow retorted. It sounded partially amused, but also partially irritated.

He wasn't about to say sorry for that, though. It was for the teenager's own best that he didn't go out so much, even if that meant he had to abstain a little.

Slowly teasing with his hand, he enjoyed the way the black and blue haired man shifted in his lap, the way his breathing deepened, and the way the member grew hard under his fingers. In the calm atmosphere left after that romantic film, he felt such an intense longing it almost hurt. It was as though nothing they did could possibly be enough now.

“What are you thinking about?”, Bickslow asked in a breathy voice and he noticed one dark red eye inspecting him curiously.

Damn the teenager and his keen attentive way. Shrugging a little, he tried to avoid the subject further. It felt silly somehow, like it was way too much to feel this early on.

The younger man wasn't about to give in that quickly, though. “Come on, tell me. What do you want?”, he almost whispered, leaning back against the blonde in an elegant arch.

“Hm? What Laxus? I'll do it”, he purred. “Almost guaranteed”, he added playfully.

Laxus grumbled a little. He did want to, and he did trust the younger man, more than anyone. It wasn't like he was asking for anything weird. They had even kind of done this already.

“I… maybe like in the film”, he dared.

“You wanna fuck me in missionary? That's awfully romantic”, Bickslow teased.

He was only a little sarcastic about it. The way they had done it in that story, hidden under covers, all slow and attentive, it had looked incredibly loving. Why Laxus even hesitated to ask, he had no idea. Of course he would want that.

“The other way around”, the blonde said and he looked back at the orange eyes in surprise. Other way, as in…

“Oh.”

If that's what Laxus wanted, he had no objections. It would be hot, not because he loved it, but because he knew the other didn't usually do this.

“Wow, okay. Are you sure? I mean, you don't seem exactly comfortable bottoming.”

Laxus nodded and he grinned.

“Aright.”

  



	24. Giving In

Laxus was dead nervous. And he was so fucking irritated about that.

Yes, he was on his back, but it was in his own damn bed. He always slept on his back, so it shouldn't feel that different to be lying here today.

And, sure, he had never before been the receiving partner in this position. He had only ever bottomed while facing away from the person he was having sex with. That way, he didn't have to see the satisfied smirk on their face, the ego boost it gave them to have him bend over. He hated that more than anything.

Today it was with Bickslow, though. The younger man wasn't like that. And they'd done this before, the two of them. Bickslow had been inside him, facing him, their eyes locked when he came. They'd been there, and it had been perfect.

So why were butterflies running rampage in his stomach now? It made no sense!

“Are you aright?”, Bickslow asked softly and he grumbled a little.

“Yea, yea. I'm fine.”

Or at least, he knew he would be. He was just waiting for the teenager to bring that calm forth in him once more. It was like a spell only the black and blue haired man knew how to cast. It took away all worry, all rational thought, and left only need. It melted away everything that wasn't them, that wasn't their connection and the moment they shared right there and then.

Bickslow looked as marvellous as ever all naked, those pretty eyes filled with desire as he slowly crawled onto the bed. The warm touch of skin as he came closer and made himself comfortable between Laxus's legs felt almost electric.

Leaning down entirely to press a soft kiss to the blonde's lips, he mused, “I'll make sure you enjoy it, that it doesn't hurt even a little bit, so don't worry.”

Laxus didn't doubt it for a second. The fact that Bickslow could tell just how tense he was feeling was annoying and soothing to equal parts. He hated letting anyone know what he felt or though, especially when he was insecure, but it was this attentive concern that made him feel so safe with the other.

Watching the younger man reach for the bedside table, he actively tried to relax. Why did it have to be so hard to do? God, that pissed him off! It had looked so easy between the characters in that film, and for them it had been the very first time. Yea, he knew it was an act, but still. Not to speak of the teenager now with him on the sheets. He made it look like the most natural thing in the world each and every time.

Bickslow uncapped the lube and let a generous amount flow into his hand before setting the tube aside again. He reached down and Laxus closed his eyes. A slight jerk went up his spine when he felt the chilly moist touch circling around his entrance.

His eyes snapped open once more as the younger man licked up his stomach. Smiling, the teenager went for his chest, swirling his tongue around a nipple. The tease caused Laxus to hum. Almost without him even noticing, one slender finger had managed to slip inside.

Lying there with Bickslow suckling his skin to distract from the finger slowly entering him, he felt like some damsel, and not in a good way. Pursing his lips together, he forced back his next audible response. Of course, the younger man took notice at once, and he didn't hesitate to complain.

“Don't. Let me hear you. Your voice is so damn sexy.”

Sure he was blushing now, Laxus gave another huff and hum. The slick finger breaching him wiggled its way further inside and yet another embarrassing sound made its way up his throat. A little more and he shuddered violently. In an instant, he forgot his worry. By Mavis that felt great!

“There.”

Bickslow seemed overjoyed at his reaction. Biting his lower lip in arousal, he moved his finger again, pressing up against his prostate slightly and getting a longing groan.

“Like that?”

“Oh yes!”

Feeling his cheeks heat, Laxus realised what he had just said, or rather, had moaned aloud. But there was no smirk on the teenager's face. No matter what kind of cocky bastard he was the rest of the time, when they did this, when Laxus trusted him this much, he was the most soft spoken lover one could wish for.

That adoring look in the red eyes meeting his gaze, Laxus didn't hesitate to reach down and stroke himself until he had grown hard entirely. He was breathing hard, feeling Bickslow slip his finger back out only to ever so carefully return with two and seek out that spot inside him anew.

The teenager soon abandoned his chest and instead trailed kisses back down his stomach. Following the blond treasure trail, he first paused when the older man's fingers brushed his chin. Finally breaking their eye contact, he dipped his head and pressed a light kiss to the head of the erect length.

Watching the foreskin retreat as the blonde stroked down, he repeated it and licked over the glans, gaining both a salty taste and a light gasp that told of the other's arousal. Curling his fingers in the warmth of the other's body and following the man's hand down along the erection with his tongue, he could see the shiver that accompanied the next needy sound.

Fuck, he had sworn to himself not to hurry, but seeing the blonde like this made him delirious with lust. Never before had he so badly wanted to top.

Extra slowly, he tried for a third finger. While he himself mostly made do with two, he wasn't about to risk anything when it came to Laxus. If he could help it, there would be no trace of discomfort. Leaning away a little to see the digits slide into the other's body without further trouble, he gave a groan of his own.

It ought to be fine. Removing his hand, he put a condom on and spread the remaining lube over it before shifting closer. Steadying himself, he eased forward and moaned in pleasure as the tight warmth engulfed him, allowed him in all the way.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he looked back at the beautiful being lying underneath him and found an uncomfortably tense man, lips pursed together once more and hands balled to fists at his sides.

Had he been too pushy after all? It had felt so right, so easy. “Aright?”, he wondered worriedly.

“I said I'm fine already”, Laxus snarled and he frowned down at the older man, trying to make sense of it. Was he nervous again? Why, though? It evidently didn't hurt, so what was the man still anxious about? Leaning down, he ran a hand through the blond hair.

“Hey, talk to me. What's wrong?”

Laxus took a measured breath. He really, really didn't want to talk about it, but he could tell the teenager was concerned by the tone of his voice. It was just like last time, except today he wasn't about to switch positions. He wanted Bickslow to be the one he did this with.

“It's just weird somehow, aright? I don't… give in to other people like this. Not usually.”

It was the first time Bickslow sniggered at him in a moment this intimate. The young man quickly repressed it again, though.

“You don't have to 'give in' if you don't want to, you know. Positions don't matter. That's a pretty archaic thought. I don't mind in the least if you want to be in charge. You are in control unless you specifically don't want to be.”

“And how do you figure that?”, Laxus asked pointedly. How the hell did he imagine that exactly? He was clearly the more passive part in this right now.

Bickslow took his hands and brought them toward himself, placing them on his hips. His calm voice back in place, he explained, “You decide how I move, when I move. It's all up to you.”

Laxus experimentally eased his grip a little and the teenager too eased off, sliding back and out of him a bit. Getting the idea, the blonde pulled him close again and he followed, sheeting himself back in the older man's body.

Shifting his hands down a little, Laxus firmed his grip on the black and blue haired man and did it again, guiding the other and feeling the man's muscles tense under his fingers as he thrust forward. The teenager's moan of desire confirmed, he really didn't mind. He loved it either way. How perfect could this devil get?

Edging him on further, Laxus set an enjoyable pace for them. Not too quick, because he wanted this to last, but harsh enough to send that perfect ripple of pleasure up his spine for every move. After a while he let go, running his hands up the other's back instead, and Bickslow kept going, exactly as the blonde had showed him.

If not the heat between them, then the loving expression on the teenager's face made Laxus feel like he would melt. He looked just as enthralled as Laxus felt lost.

Leaning down, Bickslow came even closer, pressing the occasional kiss to his lips, cheeks, neck. Yet again Laxus found himself overwhelmed by the younger man.

They were really doing this, and it was far better than in that stupid film. It was real and he was sure his heart would explode inside his chest. It was beating so hard, he was convinced the other must be able to feel it too.

“Fuck, I love this”, he moaned breathlessly and the teenager's smile became even broader.

He dropped his head against the blonde's neck, kissing softly under his ear. He usually nipped and teased, played far more roughly, but this sensual sex was making him far sweatier for some reason. It was just so damn hot in the room all of a sudden. Or perhaps he was the one that was feverish. He couldn't tell the difference any more.

Laxus wiggled a hand between them and he arched up to give room. He would have loved to watch the blonde jerk himself off while they were doing this, but he wasn't willing to break their eye contact for it. The man's deepening moans and the feeling of knuckles brushing again his stomach had to do.

Before long an uncomfortable hiss left the blonde and Bickslow woke from his trancelike state.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing. I'm just getting a little sore”, Laxus grumbled and he couldn't help but giggle. The older man really wasn't used to it if this little was causing his body to complain already.

“Shut up”, Laxus growled, gaining a slightly amused but apologetic look.

“Well? Go on then”, he sighed.

The teenager raised an eyebrow at him for it and he could swear his cheeks heated a little again. It was uncomfortable to have to spell it out. He had hoped to be able to beat around the bush instead.

Fuck it. If Bickslow could bottom with such confidence, could moan his pleasure aloud without a trace of hesitation while left completely out of control, then he wasn't going to shy back either.

“I want you to fuck me and come inside me.”

Bickslow stilled entirely at those words, his head dropping and an odd little throaty sound leaving him.

“What?”, Laxus frowned and he shook his head.

“You're so fucking hot.”

The blonde huffed a little. Couldn't that idiot get to it already instead of commenting on it? All this talk was making him far too self-conscious again.

“Shut...”

“Up?”, Bickslow interrupted teasingly. “You know that's impossible when you say these sexy things to me, right?”

He looked back up at the blond man with a happy smile. “Does that mean you want me to take over?”

Laxus knew that, while the other might be able to come when he lead, it would work best if the man could pick his own rhythm. Swallowing his pride, he nodded a little. Bickslow wouldn't do it otherwise, not if he didn't specifically say he wanted it.

Sitting back more, Bickslow took a hold of his hips and set his own pace, definitively a fair bit quicker than before. He hunted his orgasm now.

Already starting to feel the friction straining him somewhat, it was a little uncomfortable to the blonde. It was however also equally good, agonisingly intense. Laxus grabbed a hold of the sheets in a doomed attempt to regain some restraint. Panting, he arched his back off the mattress.

Bickslow took a hold of his right leg, pulling it up to rest on his shoulder, and the next thrust reached deeper than any before. Gasping, Laxus cold feel his toes curl. While amazing, it was a little too much.

“Take it easy”, he managed breathlessly.

Kissing his thigh, Bickslow looked back at him with a completely debauched expression, jaw slack, eyes hazy, and a deep red blush on his cheeks.

“Ha?”, he mumbled against the hot skin.

His voice was so raspy, breathless and confused, it was clear he was close, so close to the edge. All thought had left him and he was just feeling. Laxus felt his cock jerk at the sight. He shook his head ever so lightly.

“Never mind.”

The dark red eyes closing, Bickslow pressed further kisses to his thigh as he kept going. Seeing that he was by far more composed than the teenager even now that their roles were reversed, Laxus relaxed and reached down to tend to himself again.

The sensation was indescribable. He got both the feeling of an uncontrolled movement inside him and the familiar stroke his own hand while able to lie back and rest. The orgasm that built almost surprised him, a wave of pleasure sweeping over him as he spilled between them.

Seeing the blonde find his climax, Bickslow was sure he gave another whine of desire. The hold he had on the other's hip firmed and his breathing became irregular before he finally fell over the edge as well, the jerking of his body out of his control and his own deep groan ringing in his ears.

Slowly moving away from the blonde, he flopped down on his back, trying desperately to catch his breath.

“That was… wow”, he finally managed and Laxus huffed a laugh.

“You can say that again.”

Neither of them found it in them to move as of yet, only shifting enough to look back at another.

It might have been minutes or close to an hour, neither of them would be able to tell, but in the end Laxus looked away. Outside the light had shifted in colour, warning them of the inevitable approach of evening.

“Can I stay the night?”

Meeting the dark red eyes again, Laxus hesitated. Sleeping side by side, cuddling together under the blankets for an entire night, he wanted that so much, but...

“I'm not sure that's such a good idea. It's better if you go back, so no one wonders where you've disappeared off to.”

Pouting a little, Bickslow sat up. “I rarely ever get caught when staying out”, he defended.

“So it still happens.”

Sighing in disappointment, the teenager gave in, presenting no further argument. Sitting up as well, Laxus pulled him into a tender kiss.

“Hey, we'll see each other again in just a day.”

It was hardly the same thing and they both knew that, but it was the best he could offer right now.

“Yea, I guess”, Bickslow mumbled.

Tugging the teenager down beside him, Laxus cuddled close. “We still have time, though.” He wanted to savour ever last second before the younger man had to leave.

  



	25. Don't Pity Me

Bickslow was apprehensive when he was called to the reception during Monday lunch. He had a visitor.

To his great relief there was not a black haired forty-something-year old stalker waiting for him in the next room, but a familiar woman with a forced smile.

“Hello Bickslow. How are you doing?”

He sighed and sat down opposite the caseworker.

“Rose. What do you want?”

The fake smile instantly fell off her face and she lectured, “I told you not to use first names.” A tired sigh of her own later, she continued. “I get the impression that you are not happy to see me.”

He really wasn't in the mood to play this game right now. She had better things to do, he didn't want her here, and they both knew these two things to be true. Whatever the reason for her visit, he wanted to get it over with quickly.

“You haven't checked on me for over a year, and you didn't check on me after Granny died. Why the sudden worry?”, he crudely cut to the chase.

“Your teacher came to talk to me, so I have to make sure you are aright”, she admitted. She was only here because bureaucracy forced her to. There were others that actually needed her time right now. All he had to do was tell her it was okay and she could go back to doing her job. It was nothing anyone ever said out loud, because someone might feel left behind, but he had been in this situation enough times before to know that much.

There was just one issue. Laxus had actually talked to her? It was the first he heard of it. Why and when did this happen?

“He did?”, he frowned.

“Yes. He seemed worried about you. You haven't been having any suicide thoughts, have you?”, Rose wondered. At least she seemed serious about getting an answer. That was more than he could say about the social worker that was assigned to him before he moved to Hargeon.

But what the hell was going on here? Suicide thoughts? Why the actual fuck was she asking about that all of a sudden?! Laxus wouldn't have dared...

“Oh, that's just brilliant! I'm fine, thank you very much. In case you missed that, I didn't fail again. I'm a senior, officially”, he hissed, waving his neck tie. “So leave me be.”

“Bickslow. We are just worried about you”, the brown haired woman tried. The way she looked at him was infuriating. She pitied him. He could tell. She surely thought she understood him, that she knew what he was thinking, what was going on with him, but she didn't know shit. No one did.

Knowing very well that showing any of these feelings would only prolong her visit, he instead took a measured breath.

“I'm fine. I promise.”

Rose gave him another half-smile of patronising care. “Well aright then. If you insist, I will leave. I do think you're safe here.” Standing up, she put a hand on his shoulder. “But, you know you can call if you need help.”

“Like that's gonna happen”, he grumbled, leaning away from her touch, and the brunette shook her head ever so lightly as she left the room.

Exhaling hard, he too got up. He didn't bid her farewell in the hallway, didn't stop to hear what anyone might have to say.

He stormed upstairs to the teacher's lounge. He was outraged. How dare that bastard go behind his back like this?! They had shared far too much for this kind of thing to be happening! He didn't just have perfect romantic evenings with whomever, dammit!

Knocking on the door, he crossed his arms over his chest as he waited. Only seconds passed, but it felt like an eternity. He was so angry, he was almost shaking.

It was another teacher entirely that opened and he didn't waste any time on explaining to her why he was here. Walking inside, he found the blond man sitting on the large couch, calmly enjoying a cup of coffee.

Everyone was looking at him now, wondering what had happened, what he might need. Locking eyes with his class teacher, he made an effort not to start yelling right there and then. “Laxus, we need to talk.”

The blonde looked wildly surprised. Nodding a little, he got up. “Okay, but that's still Mr Dreyar for you”, he stated sternly, setting his white coffee cup aside.

He shuffled the student back out the door, giving some innocent shrug to his colleagues. Already dreading their inevitable questions once he returned, he took the teenager's hand, dragging him up to the roof where they could talk.

While somewhat annoyed that Bickslow was being so careless, he was mostly worried. What in the world had happened for the younger man to act like this all of a sudden? What had him so agitated? Closing the door behind them, he turned to the black and blue haired man.

“What the hell is going on?”

He saw anger in the dark red eyes, but it was far worse than during any fight they had ever had, because there was also fear, clear as day. Laxus tensed up, ready for anything.

“You told me you would meet me once I'm done at Fairy Tail. If you make a promise like that, I want it to be genuine, not because you feel obligated to protect me!”, Bickslow shouted and he frowned in confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about us, Laxus! You and me. You talking to my caseworker!”

Laxus swallowed hard. He had known it would look bad, but Bickslow never talked about himself, instead putting up walls and retorting with sass. How else was he supposed to find out anything about the teenager? He had betrayed the young man's trust in his effort to protect him, he knew that.

What bewildered him was that it didn't seem to be what Bickslow was angry about, not really. Why Bickslow thought his actions translated into his promise not being sincere, he had no idea.

“What does that have to do with anything?”, he wondered perplexed.

“Really? You didn't suddenly decide to promise me the future when you found out that I was suicidal?!”

The blonde was baffled. He reached out toward the emotionally distraught teenager. “Yes, but…”, he began, but he didn't get to say half of what he wanted to. Bickslow slapped his hand away and yelled back, “But what?!”

“What could possibly excuse that?! I don't want your pity Laxus! I have more than enough people around me that pity me! You saw me for me. Not an orphan, not a fuck up, just me. You were the only... that was…”, his voice broke and he quieted. Tears ran down his face and he clenched his teeth, shaking his head. “Oh forget it!”

Laxus caught the teenager's arm before he could flee. Pulling the younger man close, he forced Bickslow to face him. “When I heard you had tried to kill yourself, it realised how much I need you. I need you in my life. The thought of loosing you was the worst. I was afraid to make any promises to you before, because I had doubts, but I know now. I couldn't go on without you. That's why I promised you that.”

Bickslow eyed the blonde warily. He couldn't be serious. A statement that bold, it was absolutely ridiculous. Why on Earth Land would someone like Laxus need him?

As if.

“Then break up with Ms. Strauss”, he challenged.

He had meant to sound mean, sarcastic and unbelieving, but his voice was shaking with fear instead, for he was convinced Laxus wouldn't do it, would chose her over him.

“Okay.”

There was no hesitation in the older man's voice. Not a second went to thinking about it. He was sure, dead sure.

“Really?”

Laxus nodded firmly. “Yea. Whatever it takes to convince you. You are the one I want, the one I care about. Bickslow, I love you.”

Realising the blonde was serious, Bickslow relaxed. He felt silly all of a sudden, embarrassed even. When did all this happen? How had he missed it? He had watched and adored the blonde every day, hoped and dreamed that Laxus would want him as he did the other, but he had completely missed the fact that it had happened.

The blonde's hot breath rolled over his face and he shuddered, realising how close they were like this. Laxus was holding him like he was trying to make sure he was real, the strong fingers digging into his arms.

“You're hurting me.”

Laxus let go at once. “Sorry”, he mumbled awkwardly, rubbing his hands over the teenager's arms to soothe.

He reached up to stroke the man's tears away, gently swiping his thumb under the bloodshot eyes.

“I'm sorry for talking to her without your knowledge, but I felt like I had to.”

Sliding his hands over the well trained shoulders, he hugged the younger man, keeping him tight without using such a forceful hold. Bickslow in turn sneaked his hands under the black jacket and found a hold on his shirt. He seemed to slowly calm down again, his breathing easing back to its usual rhythm.

Laxus sighed. “This is gonna be an awkward conversation to have with Mira.”

Bickslow tensed in his embrace. He sounded very irritated as he began to lecture, “That's your own fault. You're the one that...”

“I know!”, Laxus interrupted.

Looking back at the other, he eased his tone of voice. “I know that. So don't say it. You don't think I feel guilty enough as it is?”

“Then why did you do it?”, the teenager wondered confused.

He shrugged a little. That was one hell of a good question. “I had to do something. Most women wouldn't wanna hear that they're just a side trip.”

It was by no means an excuse, but what Bickslow really wanted to know wasn't even how he justified it, but rather, “Why did it have to be a woman?”

Laxus took a deep breath. He seriously considered not answering that, but with the heart-to-heart conversation they were having right now he felt like he was obliged to.

“Any guy I slept with just kept reminding me of you”, he confessed.

That let the teenager smile again. “Aww”, he mused and the blonde clicked his tongue.

“What about your cheerleader then?”, he asked back. If they were really going to be serious about all this, it would be just as unfitting for the teenager to have a girlfriend.

Bickslow leaned away from him a little, giving him a sceptical look. “Are you going to come by and fuck me every day?”, he asked as though it was the most obvious next thought.

“You know that's not possible”, Laxus grumbled. What the hell did that have to do with anything? Was he being serious right now? Sure, teenagers were balls of hormones, but come on!

“Then I'm not breaking up with her”, Bickslow concluded and he growled darkly.

“And you expect me to be okay with that?”

“You said it yourself, you need me in your life. What about me? I need you too, in many ways. I can't just sit around and roll my thumbs for months on end, locked up in here. It's not gonna work. You're the one that insists I stay on campus all the time. At least I'm honest about it”, the teenager finally explained his position.

“And you think I don't mind being on my own for that long?”, the blonde huffed affronted. What the hell did Bickslow think he felt when they were separated like this? It was no better to be away from campus, not on his own.

“Laxus, I don't care if you fuck around, but don't seriously date someone, especially not a woman. And don't try to make sense of that. I can't really myself”, Bickslow insisted.

That was the problem, wasn't it? It wasn't about sex at all, for neither one of them. It was about so much more than that. So what if Bickslow slept with a girl? So what if he had some fun with a couple of strangers? But the connection they shared, that was what they didn't feel comfortable sharing with anyone else.

“Fine, okay. Deal. No romances, just sex. But the same goes for you. Lucy knows you're not serious so it's okay, but don't start anything else”, he agreed.

“I won't”, Bickslow stated sincerely.

“Good. And once you're done here, we meet again”, the older man concluded and he nodded.

“That sounds perfect.”

Leaning up, he kissed the blonde lovingly. He was just too amazing to be true. Not feeling the other's lips respond to him as usual, he pulled back.

“What?”

“I just…” Laxus hesitated. He didn't really want to ask. It seemed so wrong to go there, but he needed to know. “Is it true you broke some kids' nose?”

Bickslow felt his heart sink. He had hoped to leave it in the past, but it never seemed to stop haunting him. What kind of person did Laxus think he was now that he knew? Had she told him anything else?

“She told you about that?”

“Afraid so”, the blonde nodded, but he didn't judge it yet. “What happened?”, he wondered.

Not meeting the orange eyes, Bickslow tried to explain. He had been in a bad place back then. “I was high and he... he kept fucking with me, making loud noises and shit. It really gets to you. He freaked me out on purpose. It served him right, okay?”

“High?” That was the word that caught Laxus's attention.

The teenager nodded a little. “Yea, but don't worry. I haven't taken anything in ages.”

Yet another sight left the teacher.

“You are a handful.”

Seeing the opportunity, Bickslow slipped a hand down and hooked one finger into the blonde's waistline. “Two hands, I dare say”, he mused suggestively.

While tempted, Laxus wasn't about to. Not in school. He was not making that particular mistake again. He took a hold of the man's wrist and removed his hand.

“Class starts soon, so behave.”

Far too aware of the uneven skin under his hand, he tensed. His eyes found the old scar and he stroked his fingers over it ever so lightly. Bickslow looked highly uncomfortable, like he dreaded Laxus might know already.

“I… uh… It…”, he tried to form a sentence and Laxus shook his head.

“You don't have to tell me why.”

He met the dark red eyes. “She told me it was you that did this, with a knife, but you don't have to tell me why. I'm here if you ever want to talk about it, but you don't have to.”

Relieved, Bickslow exhaled. “Thanks.”

Bringing the wrist to his face, the blonde placed a soft kiss on the skin before letting go.

“Come on now”, he prompted and Bickslow followed suit, leaving the roof with him.

He luckily got away with a lame, “it was a private matter”, back in the teacher's lounge. At least Mirajane had already left for the day. That made it easier. He made truth of his promise that every evening, heading over to her home.

  


He stood tense as the white haired woman processed what he had said. After they had started spending entire weekends together, he suddenly distanced himself again and now he wanted to break up even though there had been no fight, no drama. Just like that. He was honestly nervous about her reaction.

“Why?”, she finally asked.

“We wouldn't work out”, he simply stated and the woman frowned at him, trying to make sense of it.

“Laxus, tell me the truth. Is there someone else?”

He hesitated. He knew he could make a fairly convincing lie, but after everything that had been, after he had seen how powerful Bickslow was in situations like these, deceiving her didn't really come as naturally to him any more. He wanted to be better than that. In the end his silence spoke for him quicker than he could decide what he ought to say.

Mirajane sat down on the couch and looked up at him tiredly. Running a hand through her long hair, she gave some mixture of a snigger and a sigh. “I thought so. I should have seen it coming. I was really starting to like you Laxus, not just first date jitters. But you never really responded.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Did you cheat on me?”, she wondered. The blue eyes demanded an answer, but she was otherwise calm. It seemed she didn't feel like she had gotten entwined with him tightly enough yet to truly be hurt.

What a relief.

Raising her eyebrows a little, she emphasised the question one more time and Laxus cleared his throat. At this point it felt more like he had been cheating on Bickslow with her than the other way around, but that was something he really could not say. Instead, he simply nodded.

Mirajane sighed, shaking her head a little. “Unbelievable. I didn't think you'd be like that.”

It stung to hear those words, but he couldn't say that he blamed her. Had it been the other way around, he would have been more than just disappointed. He would have been absolutely outraged. Then again, had he been serious about her, he wouldn't have accepted a relationship that was this vague to begin with. They had never even really said that they were a couple. It just sort of happened and he had let her believe that it meant something.

“I hope you find someone better, someone that will eat pancakes with you in the mornings. Hell, someone that will make them for you”, he spoke sincerely.

The white haired woman smiled at that. “I will, don't you worry”, she teased confidently and he nodded. “Good.”

Motioning to the door, he mumbled a small, “I should probably...”

“Yea. You should”, she confirmed harshly and he nodded stiffly, turning around and leaving her.

It would surely be awkward in the teachers lounge for a while. That's what he got for messing around.

  



	26. First Day of School

Summer vacation ended and school began anew. Everyone was back and they were once more in their usual classroom, each student wearing their new uniform for the coming year. Bickslow had mixed feelings about the entire thing. While it was nice to have Levy and Lucy back, he hadn't actually had the opportunity to meet either of them yet and it was a long time until lunch, not to speak of evening.

As usual, Laxus arrived with the bell. Closing the door behind himself and setting his briefcase down on the master's desk, he turned to his class with a stern look.

“Good Morning and welcome back. I hope you've all had a great summer.”

His eyes met Bickslow's in the back and the teenager smiled. The both of them had truly enjoyed their summer, even if it was spent here. The reaction he got in turn only made him even happier. The blonde cleared his throat, obviously thinking the same, and averted his eyes.

He held a little speech about how much they were going to learn this year and how great that was, about how this was the most important year of their stay at Fairy Tail and how this first term would determine which options they would have when they graduate. It was all surely very important and grand, but Bickslow really couldn't care less. He just watched the blonde, listened to his voice rather than his words.

He loved that his teacher was single again, and that he wasn't trying to deny himself their little shenanigans any more. No kiss was turned down and he was met with a warm smile whenever he found his way to the blonde's apartment. He still made sure to always return to campus the same day, though, to avoid any suspicion. Laxus was right, they had to be careful.

Time felt like his enemy this year, but for once he wished it would go faster rather than stop. The sooner he graduated, the sooner he would be able to be with Laxus, really be with him. The longing hurt sometimes. An entire year still lay between him and that dream.

2 entire terms, 20 weeks each, and then there were the holidays. It was virtually ages away. Yet, every day did bring him a little closer. This year, he was not going to repeat. He was going to graduate, even if that meant he would actually have to make an effort.

Laxus brought him out of his thoughts again when he put a book down on the teenager's table and raised an eyebrow at the unattentive student.

“Already daydreaming?”, he teased.

There were so many perfect lines he could have used to answer that. “Always when you're around.” “How could I not, hearing your pretty voice?” “Why don't you join me? It's far more exciting in my imagination.”, followed by a sly look. But no, he had to restrain himself. Repressing an amused smirk, he merely gave a small shrug and at least pretended to turn his attention to the book in front of him.

Mathematics. Ugh, why did that have to be a subject? It was so boring! There was no getting around it, he had to learn this shit if he was to graduate.

Once the bell rung for lunch, Bickslow headed to the mess hall with his friends and Levy told him all about her vacation. They had been aboard, swimming in the ocean and tanning at the beach. She had mostly spent her days under an umbrella, with a good book in hand, but the scenery was a nice one either way and there were a lot of interesting museums in the area.

When, after a far too long afternoon of languages, school finally ended for the day, they ran into Lucy right outside the door of 3A. She gave Bickslow a happy kiss and he smiled. First when she greeted the other two and he was sure no one would notice did he sneak a glance back into the classroom, meeting Laxus's eyes. He was a little worried the blonde might disapprove, but the man merely kept packing his bag with a perfect poker face.

Did he really not care? Not at all? He had seemed to when they talked about it, even if he did accept it in the end. Slightly bewildered, Bickslow turned his attention back to his friends.

Lucy lead on outside while telling Levy all about some book she had found that the bluenette just had to check out as well. Something about a city of books and a literate dragon. Bickslow would never understand the kind of odd topics that excited these two.

“And otherwise? How did you spend the vacation?”, Levy wondered and the blonde cringed.

“Don't ask. I had to attend about a thousand fine 'parties'”, she sighed, making quotation marks in the air. “I know that sounds like a petty complaint, but do you have any idea how restricting a ball gown is? There is a reason I don't usually dress like that.”

Turning to her boyfriend, she requested excitedly, “Lets go out today. It's been ages.”

He loved the idea. It really had been far too damn long. “Yea! Lets go, all of us”, he agreed.

Laxus cleared his throat and the students jerked in surprise, turning around to realise he was standing just a few feet from them, well in earshot.

“Ehr… we just...”, Lucy began, trying to come up with some kind of excuse for what he might just have heard.

“Hm?”, the teacher made, giving a frown and looking at them as though he too had only just realised they were even there. When he got no answer from the bewildered teenagers, he played oblivious and walked on past and to the parking lot.

Levy looked after the blond man with a knowing smile. So she had been right after all. What a débâcle.

“What just happened?”, Gajeel wondered bewildered and Bickslow instinctively tensed. He had no idea why the teacher suddenly did this. It was completely baffling, especially after his constant nagging, insisting that the teenager stay on campus.

To his great relief, his girlfriend didn't care in the least what this might mean, simply shrugging it off and urging, “Who cares? Maybe he had a good morning. Lets go!”

“Yea. Come on. Lets get changed”, the black and blue haired man agreed at once, shooing them toward the dorms.

  


“We are going to get detention for this, all four. I guarantee it”, Levy sighed as they headed into town. It was clear form the start that they wouldn't be back before curfew, but for tonight they had decided it was worth it.

“So what? You're gonna be done with your apology in like five minutes either way, Nerd”, Bickslow teased and she gave a small shrug and nod, like she couldn't quite decide weather she ought to just take the compliment or if she should argue that, while true, it was hardly the point of her statement.

“Sorry for the trouble, but I really needed this”, Lucy apologised a little and the bluenette smiled.

“I guess it is fine for us overachievers to have a little fun”, she joked, giving the blonde a wink.

Bickslow huffed a laugh. Levy was far too good at that kind of passive aggressiveness. She never explicitly attacked anyone verbally, but that didn't mean she couldn't deal back what they started. If she was going to be the 'nerd', then they best believe she was going to make them feel like idiots around her.

Gajeel put an arm around her and smirked widely. “I love you.”

Blushing a little, Levy smiled back. She mindfully relaxed her face and with the most confident voice she could muster stated, “I know.”

“Tsk. You're around Bickslow too much. He's a bad influence”, the wild man commented and laughter burst out in the little group.

Until curfew, they sat in a bar, and after it they headed into the woods. While one student missing was easily overlooked, four would probably be noticed and they didn't want to get caught before it was time to go back. First nine o'clock, they walked back onto the street and headed into a club.

Being that early, they were among the first taking to the dance floor. It seemed some kind of universal rule that only those that called the club their second home, or those that were simply completely insane stepped up during the first hour.

Bickslow liked to consider himself the latter.

He quite enjoyed the open space and the attention. Him and the other 'crazy people' were the ones that really got these parties going, inevitably luring everybody else in. This was when he really showed his moves, making sure everyone would remember him for tonight.

When everything was in full roll, he moved out of the crowd. Lucy grabbed a hold of his arm to find her way out of the tumult as well and smiled brightly.

“Wow. Where did you learn to dance like that?”

“I don't know. Here. Anywhere”, the black and blue haired man shrugged.

Truthfully, he had practised a lot, but he still thought it sounded cooler if he denied it. Back in the orphanage he would use any hour he got alone, watching tutorial videos and standing in front of the mirror while trying to copy the moves. He was a quick learner once he focused on something.

The blonde gave him a sceptical look. “Say, you are very well trained, but I never see you work out”, she commented.

“I used to do it more. I used to train acrobatics.”

When forced to do some kind of extracurricular activity, that was what he had picked. Mostly because no one else did, so he could get away a little. He continued long after they weren't required to do it any longer. It had been fun.

“What made you stop?”, the inevitable question came and he shrugged.

“I moved here.”

“So?”

“So whatever. I didn't feel like it”, he waved it off.

It had been so dull. After the incident with his foster brother, everything had just been so damn dull. Nothing was fun any more. Nothing he used to do at least. Except dancing, drinking, and getting laid of course. That was about when he started smoking as well, wasn't it?

Today was not the fucking day to think about that shit! Why was it so fucking hard to just leave some things behind? Why did it always have to come up in one way or another? Why couldn't he just walk the fuck away from all of that? It was so fucking annoying.

Shaking the thought away, he excused himself and headed for the bathroom. He was just a little sweaty after his little performance. Washing his face and cooling his cheeks, he gave a delighted sigh. A little of the water ran down his neck and stained his tank top, but he didn't mind. It wouldn't be visible any more in a few minutes either way.

Drying off and tossing the paper towel, he noticed something and froze. By the sink lay a little plastic zip bag someone had forgotten. In it was one white tablet, an infamous smiley etched into it. Ecstasy, and a brand he had tried before at that.

He hadn't taken anything in ages. Ages was maybe a little strong, but years at least. As if he would fuck that streak up now. Hell no.

Why was he even standing there like a fool? He didn't want it. He had put that behind himself. This and everything else. He didn't take drugs any more. No other than alcohol and tobacco at least.

The door to the bathroom opened and he grabbed the little bag. Call it reflex, call it force of habit, call it whatever you wish, fact was, he did.

He pocketed it quickly so the man that entered wouldn't notice and stalked out the door. Figuring he could still toss it later, he tried to fight the feeling of guild creeping up his spine. It's not like he was going to actually take it, even if he would have wanted to, which he totally did not.

Besides, he didn't even know if it was safe. Yea. That's right. He wouldn't take it because he didn't know the source. He wasn't that stupid.

Taking a deep breath, he looked around for his friends. Instead of them, he spotted a little group of people that stood huddled together closely. One person was handing out the same type of tablet he had found and the rest happily took them, not a seconds thought wasted on eventual consequences.

Maybe they were safe after all? If someone was dealing in here, there were surely a lot of people on it and no one had dropped so far.

Fuck. Come on! He was better than this, wasn't he? He had learned this lesson, had he not?

Perhaps not.

He glanced down at the little plastic wrapping and sighed. Oh fuck it. It was fun and a little E wasn't gonna hurt him. He had taken it a bunch of times and never had a bad experience. It wasn't like taking an opiate. Opening the tiny bag, he made sure no one looked and swallowed the pill before discretely dropping the wrapper and walking on.

Finally spotting his friends in the crowd, he felt a zing of guilt.

Yea, it was his own damn choice, but he still felt like he was being an asshole toward them, lying like this. It's not like he was about to tell them. There was much he didn't tell them. Not about Laxus, not about this, not about the fact that he had done it a million times before. He just knew that they would lecture him if he did, tell him what he already knew about his own stupidity. Or worse, they might hate him.

Slipping over to the bar, he ordered himself a shot and was surprised as someone else lay down money for it. Looking up, he saw that his stalker was the one feeling charitable tonight. Cringing, he forced some sort of apologetic smile.

“Look, Tomas was it? I'm sorry, but I am really not interested.”

The black haired man gave a little chuckle. “It's just a drink”, he played it off, but Bickslow could hear the lie in his voice. He was surely going to stick around, try to talk to him again, maybe ask him for the hundredth time if he didn't want to go back to the hotel after all. Maybe after even more drinks, he would slowly creep up, come too close for comfort. It was so annoying.

At least he had his friends here to back him up this time around. That made him feel safe. Sure, he could always tell the guards, but then he too would come to their attention and potentially get in trouble his own self, being underage and all.

Levy shock her head a little as she saw the one year older boy talking with an older man at the bar. Of course, Bickslow had already found another admirer. The bluenette had never seen Tomas, so she assumed it was an innocent picture. When she made Lucy aware however, the blonde recognised him at once and tensed up.

She saw the man take the small glass off the bar, teasing Bickslow a little. The black and blue haired man raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed, but he did let himself get distracted for just long enough. Lucy saw the black haired man add something to her boyfriend's drink.

Trying to push through the crowd, she hurried to warn him, but it was too late. He accepted the glass and took the shot before she even got to the bar.

Bickslow frowned a little. Either the drink was not as good as usual or his sense of taste was getting a little funky already. It shouldn't though, not that quickly.

No, it felt all wrong. Setting the glass down, he took a deep breath. What he was experiencing, it was the complete opposite of what he ought to be feeling. He felt drowsy, a little dizzy even. Fuck. Had the pill been spiked after all? Fucking fuck. He really was an idiot to take it.

The lights were glaring bright all of a sudden and he blinked against the uncomfortable sensation, seeing but flashes of colour. The world around him began to spin and he felt someone take his arm to steady him. Assuming it was the same man still standing beside him, Bickslow pushed himself back upright, shying away form the helpful hand.

Taking a hold of the bar instead, he tried to take a step, but his legs didn't obey him any more. A male voice spoke, someone unfamiliar.

“Hey. Yo. Hey, are you okay?”

He wanted to answer, that no, he was definitely not okay. So why didn't he? He was so confused. Fuck and double fuck.

“He'll be fine. He just had a little too much.”

Tomas? Why the fuck was he talking? And what the fuck was he talking about for that matter?

Something tugged him sideways and he fell. Firm hands caught him, but he couldn't really say whose any more. He just heard Lucy's voice come closer.

“Let go of him!”

And then everything went dark.

  



	27. Messed Up

The first thing Bickslow noticed was that his head was hurting. The second thing was that his arm was feeling strange, slightly painful, slightly numb. Lifting it toward his head, he was stopped by a warm hand.

“Awake now?”

It was Gajeel's voice. That was calming.

Blinking against a far too harsh light, Bickslow slowly opened his eyes and looked around. A hospital bed. Just fucking perfect. How many times did he aim to wake up here, honestly? Gajeel was at his side, holding his arm down. A small tube was attached to it. A drip. Great. He hated getting an IV. His arm was always numb for a fucking week afterwards.

Finding Levy and Lucy at his other side, he gave a small sigh in greeting and got two warm smiles in return.

“Hey there”, Levy almost whispered, placing a small hand on his other arm.

Right. He had ended up here by taking a fucking unknown pill. How much of an idiot could be? He kicked himself mentally. He must have worried them so much, dropping like that right in front of them. Why did he keep messing up like this? Finding his voice, he mumbled, “Fuck. I'm sorry.”

Lucy shook her head. “Shh. Don't say that. It's not your fault. You got roofied.”

Bickslow frowned a little. That was right. Tomas had been there. His mind was still a little foggy. He thought it had been the E. No wonder that he had dropped if there was something else mixed in. What an asshole.

“Fucking hell. Tomas.”

“Yea”, the blonde nodded.

“If that bastard shows his face anywhere in this fucking country again, I will show him what his insides look like”, Gajeel growled darkly and the black and blue haired man cracked a smile.

“Always so aggressive.”

“Geh.”

They were interrupted by a nurse that checked on the patient and calmly explained to him he would be moved upstairs now that he was awake.

“We haven't eaten anything yet, so we'll just pop down to the shop. Want anything?”, Gajeel wondered and the black and blue haired man nodded.

“I am allowed to eat right?”, he wondered and the nurse confirmed, “Just don't take anything spicy or strong right now. Don't stress your body.”

Taking their friend's order, the three teenagers headed downstairs to buy something edible and were more than surprised to run into Mr Dreyar. The blond man was standing in the entrance hall, looking around bewildered. Spotting the teenagers, he came over.

“Hey. Is Bickslow aright?”

He sounded very worried and tense. Not picking up on it at all, Gajeel asked back, “He'll live. What are you doing here this early, though?”

The blonde cleared his throat awkwardly. “I… uhm, just...”, he began, making far to clear hand gestures to communicate he knew what he wanted to say, that his reason for hesitating was something else entirely. Truthfully, he had no idea what to tell them. Thank god Levy saved him before he had to make up his mind.

“Bickslow is awake at least. He is being moved into an upstairs ward right now if you wanna come talk to him”, she offered.

Nodding, he mumbled a small, “Right. Yea.”

He had left as soon as he awoke and got the message about what had occurred. Not having had breakfast yet either, he got a baguette and paid for the lot. He knew the teenagers didn't have a whole lot of pocket money. Even rich kids like Lucy had a hard limit set by the school, to make it fair on everyone.

When they headed for the elevators, the Heartfilia daughter took Laxus's arm and motioned him to a separate elevator. “Lets not cram”, she smiled.

It was clear she had some ulterior motive, but he didn't object and took another elevator together with the cheerleader. Once the doors had closed, she cleared her throat.

“Don't blame yourself.”

He stood silent. Was it that obvious he felt guilty? He was the one that had let them slip away like that yesterday. Had he followed the rules, this wouldn't have happened. It was his god damn responsibility.

“I know about you two”, the young woman continued and his eyes went wide, his breath almost stuck in his throat.

Lucy smiled a little at the reaction. She had never seen the man show any emotion before. “I know you're dating. That's why you let us go, right? You wanted him to have a good time, because you love him.”

Taking a measured breath, Laxus finally spoke.

“He told you?”

She shook her head. “No, he wouldn't do that. Call it a woman's intuition.” “Don't worry, the school doesn't know”, she added and he visibly relaxed.

She had seen the way they exchanged glances when they thought no one else would notice. Bickslow always looked happy in those moments. In fact, the teenager's mood always swung around whenever he had been alone with the blonde, even just for a little bit. It was rather obvious if you watched closely enough. Most didn't, though.

She had also figured out why he was grounded for a month out of the blue. It was shortly after Tomas had visited. Laxus had just wanted to protect the teenager. And, great a teacher as he was, he had instead motivated Bickslow to use the time and study. How exactly he did that, she still had no clue. A little date at a restaurant? It sounded too simple, especially considering they would have had to act rather distant in public.

“I know you tried to protect him. It really isn't your fault this happened. If not tonight, it would have happened later. A creep like that wouldn't have let off just because he waited another day or week to go out. It's not on you. Remember that”, she stated firmly.

Laxus swallowed hard.

It was true, wasn't it? His attempt had done little. It might have worked, but it didn't, and that wasn't his fault. He was not to blame for another man's actions. He put a hand on the cheerleader's shoulder. “Thank you. Really.”

Reaching the upper floor, they walked along the disinfectant smelling corridors and found Bickslow in a little room, still in the process of waking up properly. Lucy cleared her throat and Levy excused herself and her boyfriend to give the two men some privacy.

More than bewildered by the women's odd behaviour, Gajeel grumbled a little. “Why is Mr. Dreyar here any ways? I thought Mr. Conbolt said they would come by later.”

“Are you really that dense?”, Lucy teased.

He frowned, looking over at the teacher and student. Mr Dreyar sat down beside the bed tentatively, reaching out to hold the teenager's hand and stroking a thumb over it softly. Gajeel's jaw dropped.

“No way.”

“Yea way”, the cheerleader chuckled.

Turning to his girlfriend he asked accusingly, “Did you know about this?”

“Maybe”, the bluenette shrugged innocently.

“Damn I feel slow”, he sighed and the women laughed.

“Because you are”, Levy teased and quickly found herself in his embrace.

“Heh, watch it Shrimp.”

  


Laxus felt his heart sink into his stomach, seeing his loved like this, a tube coming out of his arm. He wanted to hunt that Tomas guy down and fucking kill him. Or at the very least beat the living hell out of him before kicking him some more.

He was not good at these things. He didn't react in a helpful manner. He knew that.

Squeezing the teenager's hand a little tighter, he took a deep breath. He had been so scared. All he got to know this morning was that Bickslow had landed in hospital after someone slipped a drug into his drink. Thank god nothing worse had happened. Thank god he hadn't been alone when that bastard drugged him. Thank god he was okay.

Laxus badly wanted to lean in and give the teenager a kiss, or a hundred, but he didn't dare, not in public, not yet. He hadn't bough any flowers or anything either, not to seem too familiar. Wanting to do something at least, he had brought along a different gift. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a tiny teddy bear. It was no bigger than the palm of his hand. He had bought it a little while ago, for some special occasion, but now simply had to do.

Clearing his throat, he held it out toward the other and Bickslow sniggered tiredly.

“What's that?”

“Isn't it obvious? A teddy bear”, he grumbled.

“Yea, I can see that, but why?”, the teenager wondered in amusement.

“I thought you might like it. This is what people get when someone's in hospital right? Flowers or teddy bears.”

“I think that would be a present for a child, but thanks”, Bickslow laughed.

Not wanting to let go of the warm hand holding his own, he instead reached out with his left to accept the gift even if it was uncomfortable, the drip shifting against his arm. Smiling at it, he realised it had small heart shaped paws. He looked back at the blonde in awe, but Laxus did his best to ignore it.

“Did it take long to find?”

“Not really”, the teacher said, but the other saw right through it.

“Liar.”

He squeezed the plush animal lightly in his hand. The real teddy bear was Laxus himself. It was such an adorable gesture. He wanted to get up and throw himself at the blonde, but there were more than one reason he couldn't. “Thank you”, he whispered instead.

Seeing the paperwork on the bedside table, Laxus skimmed over it shortly. Most of it was impossible to decipher, but it seemed the teenager would be fine at least. He was just supposed to stay here so they could monitor him. After that, he was going to have to go to meetings.

“A remiss to a psychiatrist?”, the blonde commented and Bickslow nodded.

“Yea. Apparently I am clinically depressed. Great news, eh? They spent like an hour on questioning me and then handed me that. Just lovely”, he answered sarcastically.

“That's a good thing. That you know now I mean.”

“I guess. It does explain a lot”, the teenager sighed.

Like that dull feeling that kept creeping up on him, his sudden disinterest in things, his need for distraction. Perhaps even his desperate need for affirmation. How fucking typical, though. The orphan had depressions. Of fucking course the orphan would have depressions.

Having Laxus here really felt great. He had been glad not to have to wake up all alone in here, but now that the blonde was here he felt completely at ease again, like it would all work out somehow. He had no idea how, but he was sure of it nonetheless.

“At least I don't have to worry about getting my stalker shrink appointed now”, he joked and the man frowned disapprovingly.

“That's not even remotely funny.”

“I think it is.”

“You are hopeless”, Laxus sighed and he sniggered.

“Yea, I know.”

Gajeel coughed loudly and Laxus looked out to see Ms. Strauss and Mr. Conbolt heading down the corridor. Letting go of Bickslow's hand, he leaned back in his chair casually.

The white haired woman walked over to the bed at once and gave the teenager a soft smile. “Hello Bickslow”, she mused, stroking a hand over his arm and getting a small nod in return.

“Are you feeling aright?”, the principal wondered and he shrugged.

“I'll live I suppose.”

Giving him another little squeeze, Mirajane finally turned to Laxus and stiffly greeted, “Mr. Dreyar.” He gave a forced smile and Bickslow repressed any reaction to the scene.

He knew he shouldn't, but he was really happy she didn't like the blonde any more. He had no idea just what Laxus had told her, but it was clearly bad.

“How long have you been here? You didn't wait for us, did you?”, Mr Conbolt wondered and the man swiftly lied, “Nah. I just arrived a few minutes ago myself.”

They stayed for a while, talking to him about how he shouldn't worry and take it easy, how they would figure it out once he came back. They clearly didn't realise just how few fucks he gave about school.

Nodding and smiling, Bickslow simply played along until they decided it was time to leave. The bad part was, that meant all of them, Laxus and his friends included. They had places to be.

Getting a kiss from his girlfriend and a discrete little pat from Laxus, he watched them leave and sighed. This was the worst part about being in hospital. Being alone. It had been like that every single time. Sooner or later, he was left alone among the white walls and the smell of disinfectant. He closed his eyes, aiming to sleep through most of it.

  


Walking the students downstairs, the teachers got into a car each. Levy and Gajeel sat down in the principals' back seat, but Lucy pointed toward Laxus's car instead.

“I'll ride with Mr. Dreyar instead”, she stated. It gained her a few odd looks and she explained innocently, “I like the car model. It's a classic.”

Laxus couldn't help but be impressed with her talent for improvisation. Agreeing to it, he let the cheerleader ride with him. She slipped into the front passenger seat and buckled up. As soon as they left the parking lot and stopped at the first crossing, Lucy made her intentions clear.

“Mr. Dreyar? Can I ask something?”

She could see him take a measured breath, steeling himself before he responded. It was clear the subject made him just as nervous. It was no wonder in his case. What he was doing was illegal. She on the other hand just didn't want to get in between any hurt feelings.

“What?”, the teacher asked just as the green light came on and the car set into motion once more.

“Are you… uhm.” She really didn't feel like she could ask him if he was jealous. He seemed like such a proud man. “Do you dislike me?”,she rephrased instead.

The man actually looked somewhat surprised at that. “No. Why would you think that?”

Lucy shrugged a little. “Because I'm with Bickslow. I'm his girlfriend. You know that, don't you?”

“Yea. I know”, he sighed.

The roaring of the engine was awfully loud in the uncomfortable silence between them, but he had to take the time to sort his thoughts before he continued. Why did it have to be so fucking hard to place words in the right order to convey what he meant? It was so easy when the task was to relay facts instead of communicating feelings.

“Since you're asking, I will be honest, okay?”, he finally began and she nodded.

“I don't like it. I don't like that there is someone else in his life in the least. I hate it actually. But that doesn't mean I dislike you. You're an exemplary student and, believe it or not, you have a good influence on him. He doesn't go out at the oddest times any more, doesn't genuinely disappear to who-knows-where. He has someone close by that he can hang out with that way now. I can't be that someone, not as things are right now. As it is, I am glad it's you that he sees and not some guy.”

The cheerleader exhaled audibly.

“I'm relieved.”

He smiled a little at that. She really was a sweet girl, so kind and caring. And evidently very open minded not to be completely outraged by what she knew about them.

“Thank you for keeping it a secret.”

“Of course.”

  



	28. An Excuse

Bickslow was glad to be allowed to leave the hospital after just a few days. It had been a hassle, lying in that boring as fuck room, having to talk to the police and what not. As if it wasn't enough that shit happened, there was always the aftermath to deal with.

The first meeting with his psychologist had been pretty aright at least. The entire procedure wasn't half as annoying as he remembered it. To his surprise, it was actually rather helpful. He got to talk about it all, put a finger on even the weirdest feelings he got sometimes, and the guy didn't seem to think him stupid for it at all. He just nodded and provided further questions or even small explanations.

Bickslow had never known that his mood swings could have to do with his irregular sleeping pattern or what he eats. It might be rather obvious, but he had just never really though about it before.

The same afternoon he was released, Mr Conbolt came to get him and drove him back to campus. After stopping by his room to drop off his bag, Bickslow obediently headed for class. He hated this part too. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door, and as expected everyone went quiet, all attention turning to him. The air was tense and he was not comfortable with the mixture of curiosity, disapproval, and misplaced worry in his classmates' faces.

At least Laxus smiled at him and he tried not to mimic it too much. Boy, was it good to see the blonde again.

“Welcome back Bickslow. We're all happy you're feeling better”, the teacher said, motioning him to his seat.

“Thanks.”

Heading over to his table, Bickslow sat down and exhaled. Luckily, Laxus did not insist on talking about what had happened, asking him how it was or how he was feeling now, didn't force him to speak about it in front of everyone. Why some teachers seemed to think it was a great idea to put your shit out in front of everyone, he would never understand. They had to have forgotten what it was like, being a teenager. The others damn sure didn't need his help to collect their gossip.

When the bell announced that school was over, Laxus dismissed all but Bickslow. No one seemed to think this particularly odd, seeing as how the black and blue haired man had missed a bit in his absence. Only his friends gave him a meaning look, which he couldn't quite place.

Obediently standing before the master's desk, he waited until everyone had left the room. Once they were alone, he closed the door and rounded the table, pulling the blonde into a tender kiss. It was returned just as lovingly and he couldn't help the light hum escaping him.

“Yes? What is it, Mr. Dreyar?”, he wondered in a low purr.

“I missed you.”

Smiling, Bickslow leaned against the other man, letting his hands roam over the broad shoulders. “I missed you too, so much. You know, I didn't even get the opportunity to beat off in there.”

Laxus huffed a laugh at that and shook his head. “Teenagers.”

Grinning back, the black and blue haired man suggested, “Lets meet again this weekend.”

“About that.” A serious expression suddenly fell over the blonde's face.

Bickslow took a step back, meeting his eyes curiously. What was with the sudden change of pace?

“When I visited you in the hospital, Lucy said she knows about us”, Laxus told him and his eyes widened a little in surprise.

“I didn't tell her, I swear I didn't.”

“No, I know.” Laxus shook his head a little, stoking down the teenager's arms soothingly. “She figured it out somehow. While she seems to think it prudent to keep it a secret, it does worry me a bit. If she noticed, who else might?”

Bickslow thought for a moment.

“If she knows, then Levy and Gajeel are bound to as well, but otherwise I don't think anyone pays that much attention to it, honestly.”

“Still”, the blonde grumbled. For him, this was about more than avoiding a potential scandal. It was about avoiding a criminal record. Not only would he never be able to work as a teacher ever again, he would probably have a hard time doing much of anything. There was good reason these laws existed and people did not take kindly to those that broke them. In any other case, he probably wouldn't either.

“What about an excuse?”, the teenager suggested cheerfully and Laxus raised an eyebrow in question.

“We just need an excuse to hang out. We have the rooftop where I hide sometimes and you come find me, but that is kinda disruptive and I would like to avoid getting all that much detention.”

Laxus chuckled at that. “That is definitively not a good solution, no.”

He hummed a little as he tried to come up with something. “I could drive you to your appointments.”

Bickslow nodded. “I'd like that. It's a little scarce, though. But… I might need some more tutoring to be honest. The new maths stuff is hard and I missed a bit while I was gone, didn't I?”, he suggested innocently.

“But then you actually have to learn, too”, the older man said, laughing as the teenager made a disgruntled face.

“Urgh. Fine, I guess.”

Laxus smiled a little. That Bickslow was willing to actually study after school just to be with him was probably the greatest declaration of love he could possibly hope for. That still wouldn't give them a whole lot of privacy, though.

While they could spend some time that way, they wouldn't be able to really relax together or maybe have sex without practically holding their breaths. That was of course far from the most important thing, but he really did want them to do that at least from time to time. Besides, Bickslow surely did too and he just knew that the teenager would tease him until he gave in and risked it again, even right here.

No, it definitely not a satisfactory option.

They needed something a little more secluded, but still close enough by not to draw any attention or seem suspicious. That's when a light went for him. The teenager had to have used that room before. It was just too obvious.

“Maybe you could tutor me instead. You could teach me how to play the guitar.”

Bickslow's lips curled into a happy smile. Combining his passion and his love? Brilliant!

“Really? You'd want that?”

“Sure. It looks fun enough. It's a pretty good excuse for me to hang out in your little private room if nothing else and since your friends know about us, that shouldn't be a problem either, right?”

“I like this idea a lot”, the teenager grinned and he felt his heart take a happy leap again. This young man really was going to be the end of him.

“So? When's my first lesson?”, he demanded playfully.

“Today?”

Nodding, Laxus turned to his bag, packing his things as he kept talking. “Sounds promising. I'm just going to check with the reception that they're cool with you doing a little tutoring work on the side.”

“Wait, you're going to tell the school?”, Bickslow asked surprised and he chuckled.

“Yes. You can even write something like this down in your resume. Since I don't pay you, it qualifies as volunteer work. That always looks good.”

Surprised, but clearly pleased to hear that, Bickslow gave a small, “Cool.” Never having cared about this sort of thing before, he didn't exactly have a whole lot to write down so far.

Taking his briefcase in hand and heading for the door, Laxus sighed, “I don't actually have a guitar, though.”

The student waved it off. “Leave that to me.”

  


The principal didn't mind the idea in the least, quite to the contrary. he was convinced it would be a great opportunity for Bickslow, taking responsibility for this kind of course. It would surely help him grow as a person. Laxus just nodded and did his best to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself until he finally could leave the man's presence again.

Heading upstairs, he inspected the cosy little room and confirmed, it really was the perfect spot for a semi-secret meeting. That couch had definitively seen more than just music. Bickslow grinned up at him from it and he wondered, how many times had this teenager in particular spent his leisure time here, doing other things than practising?

He shook the thought away. It was none of his business either way. He had little right to be jealous. It's not like his apartment, his couch and bed, hadn't seen far more men that just Bickslow. They were both mutually aware of their habit of promiscuity. They had no dirty secrets any more as far as he was aware.

Taking a seat beside the black and blue haired man, Laxus soon held a guitar in hand for the very first time in his life. Despite loving the subject, he had avoided music lessons whenever he could in school, which mostly had to do with the fact that his teacher at the time kept insisting he should sing, right in front of everyone that made his life a living hell for liking men. Hell no.

Tying to mimic the teenager, he placed one hand on the guitar neck and one on the body. Bickslow took one look and giggled in amusement.

“That is not how you hold a guitar.”

Setting his own instrument aside, he rearranged the blonde's left hand, bringing his wrist down and placing his thumb behind the fretboard. Laxus struggled with the hold, trying hard to keep his fingers where they had been placed.

“Seriously? This is really uncomfortable.”

“Because you're straining. Relax”, the teenager spoke softly, placing his hands on the blonde's shoulders and motioning them down. Nodding in satisfaction, he picked his own guitar back up and expertly placed his hands in the right position. It looked far easier when he did it.

“First chord. Em”, the student lectured. “Your middle finger goes on the second fret, fifth string, and the ring finger right underneath.”

Laxus frowned deeply. He didn't understand a word of that instruction. Looking at how the teenager held his hand instead, he did his best to imitate it.

“Place your fingers right by the fret”, Bickslow insisted and he raised an eyebrow. Did the teenager really not register how incredibly unhelpful he was being? That had to be the least pedagogic approach he had witnessed in a good while.

“The what?”, he prompted.

Seemingly realising his mistake, Bickslow gave a sheepish grin. “It's those metal bars under the strings. Put your fingers right behind them, not so far back or you won't get a good sound.”

Looking down, Laxus understood what was meant and shifted his fingers. It was just a little painful to hold the strings down, though. They were digging into his skin, the tips of his fingers going red.

“Not so forceful. Treat her with some love. Just use the very tips of your fingers and it'll be much easier. Thumb back behind the board. And don't let your fingers lie on the other strings.”

Bickslow tried his best to help him rearrange until he had a passable grip, but he was quickly getting frustrated. His fingers hurt, and that before he had even played a single chord. He had thought this would be easy, at least on a basic level.

Taking a measured breath, he refocused. What kind of educator was he if he couldn't find the calm to learn something like this? Besides, Bickslow looked genuinely happy. For now, he was the teacher and Laxus the student.

Three additional chords later, Bickslow had him play them in order and then grinned widely.

“See? You played a song!”

Despite the teenager's enthusiasm, it honestly didn't feel like much of an achievement. It didn't sound anywhere near good, or even passable. When the younger man played these chords, it was an actual melody, not just random sounds.

“Hm...”, Laxus grumbled in discontent.

Bickslow set his instrument aside and encouraged, “Did you know a lot of popular songs only need four chords?”

“Really?”

“Yepp. Take for example C, G, Am and F and you have like a whole bunch of songs. You just need to change the lyrics and tempo.” He leaned in a little and teased, “That is of course rather lazy, but it works.”

“Tsk. Either way, I think this is enough for now. I'll just get confused”, Laxus determined, gently putting the borrowed instrument back on its stand.

“I agree. The rest of the time is better spent otherwise”, Bickslow mused slyly. Taking a hold of the blonde's wrist, he tugged the older man back down on the couch and climbed into his lap.

“This really was a very good idea”, he smiled, kissing the blonde softly. Here, they really had privacy, didn't need to hold back, and all that without the risks involved in leaving campus, in him sneaking his way over to the teacher's apartment.

Laxus ran his warm hands under the student's shirt, but Bickslow could tell that something was off, that he wasn't entirely focused. Sitting back, he inspected the blonde's face. What was it, ghosting in the orange eyes?

“What are you thinking about?”, he wondered.

The way the man's gaze snapped from him and a slightly annoyed inhale raised the wide chest, Bickslow knew he had hit the nail on the head.

“It's nothing”, Laxus tried, but he crossed his arms in demand.

“Nothing? Really?”, he challenged unimpressed.

“Nothing important. Nothing I actually want to know.”

“So it's a question.”

Sighing, the blonde nodded a bit. “Yea, but it is not important.”

“Important enough for you to loose focus it seems”, Bickslow insisted.

“Can we please just drop this?”

“Sure. Just tell me.”

Growling a little, Laxus finally gave in. Once the younger man had made up his mind, there was no stopping him. If he wanted to know, he would find out sooner or later, be it through annoyance tactics or bribery.

“It's silly. I just wondered… you must have had sex here before, on this couch.”

“Sure I have”, Bickslow confirmed somewhat amused. “Does that bother you?”

“Not really.”

“But?”

“But… with whom?”, the older man asked and he gave a triumphant smirk.

“So it does bother you.”

Looking very tired, Laxus clicked his tongue. “Aright, yes, maybe it bothers me just a little. Happy now?”

Bickslow shrugged lightly. “I don't know if happy is the right word. I guess I find it cute that you'd care about that. I thought it was just me that got jealous.”

Wrapping his arms around the older man, he proposed, “I tell you and you tell me.”

“Fine”, Laxus agreed.

“Lucy, Gajeel, and some chick that has already graduated. She seemed to want a ride after seeing me at our very first concert in freshmen year. I don't even remember her name. We were both pretty dunk”, the teenager enumerated hastily.

“Right here?”, the blonde wondered and he chuckled.

“Pretty much. Or over there”, he answered, pointing to the empty spot between drum set and door where he had knelt down before his friend, desperately trying to get this blond god out of his head again. It hadn't really worked very well.

“The floor?”

“Yea. It shouldn't surprise you all too much that I've done that with Gajeel. I've knelt down on the floor for you a lot of times. It's kind of a go-to move for me”, Bickslow shrugged. Tilting his head to the right a little, he demanded, “Your turn. Now you tell me.”

“About?”, Laxus wondered.

“The desk and your home.”

The older man huffed a laugh. “I am pretty sure that desk has not seen anything as indecent before. As for my home, are you serious?”

“Just…”, Bickslow made a vague gesture, unsure if he dared be that obvious about it, but in the end he simply asked, “Ms. Strauss?”

The blonde slimmed his lips. Usually, he wouldn't mind discussing an ex, but the woman was a teacher here as well. It seemed wrong to talk about it with a student, even if it was Bickslow.

“Why are you so obsessed with her?”

“Because she dated you of course”, Bickslow huffed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You know, while I already liked you.”

Nodding in understanding, the blonde offered, “We were at my place once. Couch. That's all. Otherwise, we were always at her place.”

Bickslow shifted a little in his lap and he raised an eyebrow.

“Like what?”, the student wondered meekly.

“I'm not going to go into detail”, Laxus stated firmly and he shook his head.

“Eow, no. Just, I mean...” He took a deep breath and though. What did he mean exactly? What was it he wanted confirmed? Why did he still keep asking?

“Is there something you didn't do there, but that we do?”, he wondered and the teacher gave him an amused look.

“What? I wanna know. It's not that wired a question. You're the one that started asking about this room”, Bickslow pouted defensively.

A rare mischievous air spread around the older man. He let his eyes wander down the other's body, head to toe, before smirking ever so little. A nervous shiver ran down the teenager's spine. He honestly didn't know what to expect, weather he should be worried or excited. His body finally decided on a little of both.

Taking a firm hold of him, the blonde stood and turned, dropping him down on the leather furniture and sinking to the floor before him. The firm hands were at once at his waistline, working his trousers open. Laxus's face was a mere inch from his own and his voice was a low purr, dark and rumbling. “This, I never did with her, not at my place and not anywhere else either. Before meeting you, I barely ever treated anyone to this.”

Not even giving Bickslow the time to react and perhaps help along, he tugged both trousers and underwear down the younger man's thighs.

Bickslow instinctively gasped as the blonde dipped his head, taking him in even as he wasn't close to hard yet. It felt just a little odd, but it was incredibly cosy even this way, warm and moist. Entwining his fingers in the soft hair, he noticed just how invigorating that little confession, that display of eagerness had been to him. It didn't take a lot of attention from Laxus's lips and tongue before he was fully erect and truly enjoying it.

Craning his neck, Bickslow panted moans as the older man positively devoured him, the strong hands holding his hips, slowly pulling him even closer until he lay almost entirely on is back, his shirt riding up his back all askew.

While he liked to think that he had learned exactly what the blonde enjoyed in bed, how to please and drive the man wild, Laxus clearly hadn't paid any less attention to him in turn. The blonde focused more on keeping a quick pace than anything else.

Bickslow knew the older man loved more variation and visual impact, a naughty display, but himself he really didn't care much for the stereotypical “good” blowjob. He didn't need a lot of specifics, any fancy moves or zero gag reflex show off. Whatever was fine really, just as long as it was plenty wet and there was a more or less constant and speedy rhythm to it.

Except, with Laxus he wouldn't even have needed that much, just his attention, his desire. The orange eyes were fixed on his face in what could only be interpreted as a demand for him to show his pleasure. They didn't leave him until his body wound taunt he and toppled over the edge, spilling in the warm mouth with a drawn out groan.

In that moment, the orange eyes closed. Laxus waited calmly until he stopped trembling before pulling away. A dissatisfied expression on his face, the teacher glanced around the room shortly before swallowing hard and shuddering at the taste and texture.

Sniggering at the adorable look on the blonde's face, Bickslow teased, “You really don't like the taste, do you? One advantage with women.”

Laxus shook his head. He swallowed a few more times in an effort to rid himself of the taste, or at the very least ease it before speaking up. “Women are no better. Different, but no better. With men the strong taste is at least only at the very end.”

“I think both taste rather nice. A lot of people say they grow used, but I quite liked it from the get-go”, the teenager shrugged.

“Then you clearly have a fucked up sense of taste”, the blonde determined before moving up and cuddling down with him on the couch for a little while longer.

Still somewhat out of breath, the teenager sniggered tiredly. Whatever annoying thought he had held before, it had been wiped from his mind again. He tried to remember for a moment, but ultimately decided it wasn't important, not while he had the older man close at least.

  



	29. Then Explain It

Both Laxus and Bickslow enjoyed their little tutoring lessons a lot. Sometimes they just practised and sometimes they barely picked up any instrument at all, but it was always good fun and Laxus was pleased to say he could actually play several simple melodies by now.

Not everyone was entirely supportive of the development, though. When heading upstairs for some privacy again, the two found Gajeel sitting on the leather couch, arms crossed over his chest and a stern frown wrinkling his forehead. Sensing trouble, Laxus decided to stay in the door as Bickslow walked over to his friend.

“Gajeel? You know we're not practising today. I'm teaching Mr Dreyar.”

Huffing irritably, the dark haired man shot their teacher a murderous glare and Laxus raised an eyebrow in response. It seemed whatever respect the student had for him in the classroom was completely forgotten here. He was unsure if this was a sign he was accepted as one of them or if the attitude was of a more problematic nature.

“I know. Don't mind me. It's not like you need privacy to practice guitar, right?”, the black haired man grumbled between sharp teeth.

Having looked forward to this the entire day, Bickslow was somewhat annoyed with the timing of his friend's… whatever the fuck it was he was doing. “Gajeel, honestly, what the hell?”

Now finding his friend's eyes instead, said student gave a low growl.

“I could ask you the same.”

At that point, Laxus decided to retreat. His involvement as boring adult and obnoxious teacher would surely only complicate things further. The fight the two friends were having about practice time, or whatever else the real issue might be, was something they would need to sort out on their own.

“I think it's best if I leave you two alone”, he simply stated, taking a step back and out of the little music room. Closing the door and walking away, he hoped they knew how to communicate and make up properly.

Giving an exasperated sigh, Bickslow met his classmate's eyes. He did not appreciate being cock blocked like this, and that by Gajeel of all people. The guy was usually always supportive of him, no matter that kind of idiocy he got himself into.

“What the hell was that for?”

That seemed to hit a nerve. Gajeel shot up and flung his arms out to the sides. “Really? 'What was that for?' You're dating a teacher, Bix. I mean fuck! Our fucking teacher. Do you even realise how fucked up that is? What the fuck are you thinking?!”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Bickslow defended, “It's not like I planned this.”

“Oh you didn't plan it? Well in that case. I guess you just, what? Happened to land on his dick? Poor you. It must have been so tough, tying to not fuck one particular man in a city filled with queer clubs.”

Bickslow gave him a disapproving look, hissing sourly, “Very funny.”

“Well, explain it to me then! Fucking hell, Mr Dreyar could go to jail behind this. You do realise that, don't you? You fucking know that it is illegal, don't you?”

Bickslow dropped his defensive stance at that, a nagging feeling of shame eating at him. He was indeed all too aware of that. It was just one of many reasons he hadn't genuinely planned to go this far. At first, it had been nothing more than a one-night stand, a mistake he was glad to repeat, but now everything was far more serious wasn't it?

“Do you remember the day he started here? I told you about how I stayed with a guy overnight...”, he began and the wild man's jaw dropped.

“You've gotta be kidding me.”

Nodding, Bickslow huffed a tiny laugh. That was about the same reaction he had when he found out. He had wanted to sink into the ground, make it undone, flee, anything. “We didn't know. Neither one of us knew, I swear. Do you really think I would try to seduce a teacher? Fuck no! Come on, you know me. I don't hunt for prey that's off limits. Why would I?”

Gajeel seemed to buy that much at least, calming down a little again and flopping back down.

“Then what? After that you just thought, fuck it, done it already any ways?”, he demanded sourly.

“No! I tried to leave it behind, I honestly did. I went out, rebounded, the usual.”

“But?”

“After that concert we had, me and him ended up putting the last couple of things back, just the two of us, and... what do you want me to say? I was drunk. He was there. You can't deny he's hot as fuck. It happened”, Bickslow tried to explain. It was a little hard to do, seeing as he couldn't really make sense of it his own self. He had just wanted another go at the man, to break a few rules and enjoy a little. Why their heated and rather sudden actions hadn't rung any warning bells for him, he couldn't say.

“You're shitting me”, Gajeel said in disbelief. “You two did not have sex on the fucking stage.”

“We would have, but you guys interrupted us”, the black and blue haired man chuckled and got a sarcastic snarl in return.

“So sorry to ruin the fun.”

Clicking his tongue at the tone of voice, Bickslow grumbled, “Will you stop it already?”

“Gajeel, even after that, I had no intention of continuing. You know that. You were the one I went with for Mavis sake! We were right in this damn room.”

“For fucks…”, Gajeel began before simply shaking his head. He couldn't believe that the guy Bickslow had been so obsessed with was their teacher. So much for 'If he liked you, he would be here'. He was here aright, far too close by.

Once more crossing his arms to reinforce his will to stay mad, he didn't let the black and blue haired man off the hook just yet. “And then what? You fell in love with him over a fuck and an almost?”

“It's not that simple!”

After a measured breath, Bickslow took a seat beside his friend. It was time to come clean. “No one else knows this, but when I disappeared and he found me in the woods; it wasn't like that. He found me elsewhere. We drove out there to just be for a while, to talk. I swear that was all we were gonna do, but I was just so fucking jealous.”

One pierced eyebrow quirked up.

“Jealous?”

Bickslow nodded. It felt silly, but it was true. It was still true to some degree. “Of Ms. Strauss. You know they dated.”

Finally relaxing back, leaving his disapproving frown behind, the dark haired man gave a tired sigh. “So you want me to believe you ruined your teacher's relationship because you were jealous? I know you're not that stupid.”

That in turn was not something Bickslow took kindly to hearing. “Oy! First of all, it's his own damn fault if he cheats, and secondly, he was never serious about her, not even in the beginning. It was just a distraction. He told me that.”

“Right. He told you that. Well in that case”, another snarly response came and he rolled his eyes. Now Gajeel was just being childish. He clearly understood what Bickslow was trying to say by now, but he just wouldn't accept it.

“Honestly Gajeel... I didn't plan on starting anything serious with him. I even got a girlfriend! Me. That was supposed to be it, the end of it. We both had a girl and that was that. We weren't going to do anything.”

“But then he tutored you and you did some more 'talking'?”, the wild man asked. He didn't really sound angry any more, but sure as hell bewildered.

“Basically. It's not like we planned for it. We fought, a lot. For a while there I fucking hated him, but somehow all that ended in sex. I don't fucking know why. I can't explain it, aright? I just couldn't get him out of my head any more. It was driving me nuts.”

“And then what?”

Bickslow felt guilty, talking about all of this. It just showed how much he hadn't told his friends, how much he had lied about and for how long. Not that he had much of a choice, but still.

“And then, when Ms. Ericsson died, he came to my room after school. We talked, like really talked, about her and my past. Well, at least parts of it. It was then and there that I just knew, I love him.” Meeting the other student's equally red eyes, he sighed, “What am I supposed to do about that, honestly? You know me. I can't just walk away form something like that.”

Seeing just how bad the one year older boy felt for keeping secrets, Gajeel put an arm around him and tugged him close. “Hey, I'm sorry for attacking you like that. It's not your fault. Love is stupid. That's just how it goes I guess.”

Ruffling through the black and blue hair lightly, he forced a little smile. “But you know you could just have talked to me, right?”

Bickslow gave him an unbelieving look. “And say what? 'Hey, by the way, I'm fucking our teacher'? Get real.”

That got a laugh out of the wild man. “Fine. Fair point.”

Shifting a little to make himself comfortable, Bickslow cuddled against the dark haired man, tucking his head under the other's chin. “Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I couldn't. If nothing else, I promised Laxus I wouldn't.”

He could feel Gajeel shaking his head a little and the hand tangled in his hair continue to pet soothingly.

“Nah, I get it. I just feel stupid I guess. I mean, both Levy and Lucy knew before me. I'm your best friend and yet everyone knew before me.”

“What do you expect? They're nerds. They figure shit out”, Bickslow jested and he chuckled.

“Gihi. True.”

  


They sat silent for a long while, Gajeel playing with the black and blue strands of hair until their little fight was all but forgotten. That is how they knew they could always count on each other. No matter how sarcastic and mean they got, what kind of stuff got between them, they always worked it out somehow in the end.

Bickslow picked his guitar up and cuddled back down against his friend's side, lazily plucking strings as they enjoyed just being here together, their friendship having survived another disagreement. Gajeel didn't bother getting up and softly hummed along instead.

In the calm, the dark haired man kept thinking hard, contemplating everything he had just learned. He couldn't say he liked it, but he didn't think Bickslow to be in the wrong here.

“And how is therapy treating you?”, he finally asked.

Bickslow's hands stilled and he looked back at his friend sceptically. He had seen that question coming sooner or later, but not right now.

“You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to of course”, Gajeel ensured and he shook his head.

“No. It's fine. I just…” He sighed deeply and resumed playing with the instrument. “The guy is trying to get me on meds.”

Gajeel tensed instinctively at those words. He had heard the story behind Bickslow's scar.

The teenager had been diagnosed with severe anxiety, most probably triggered by the bullying of classmates as well as other orphans. His caseworker of course did the responsible thing and sent him to therapy.

Bickslow had hated it, though, hadn't actually allowed them to help him. After a while, it had been decided he should take medicine. Two days after getting the prescription, he tried to kill himself. He simply walked out to a nearby bridge and climbed the railing. Luckily, a passer-by had forced him down and called for help.

After the second attempt, the teenager had been put on intense suicide watch, but in the end he had managed to slip past a caretaker that had fallen asleep.

Gajeel remembered well how they had been sitting on his friend's bed, the one year older man telling him all this between tears and hitched breaths.

Bickslow could still vividly recall the minute that he stood there in the kitchen, the house around him silent, a knife in his hand. He hadn't been crying, hadn't even been scared. He had been long past those stages. He had just thought, 'how fucking pathetic', and done it, tried to make sure he wouldn't wake up again.

Once more, luck had been on his side. The caretaker had woken up from the tumult and found him in time, rushing him to hospital and saving his life.

It was by no means been the first time Gajeel had encountered this story. He had heard it before, classmates and acquaintances going though the same or seeing their loved ones suffer through it. Where he grew up, it was common knowledge that certain medicine could have this effect, could give someone back the energy and drive to act before treating the issue itself.

Holding his friend a little tighter, he wondered, “Are you afraid that it will happen again?”

Bickslow shrugged a little, clearly tense as well. “I don't know. They say it shouldn't, but it's the same one, the same fucking pills.”

Setting the guitar down, he attempted to sort his thoughts.

“Don't think me silly now, but even after that phase its just so… how to explain this? I know it really works for some, like really makes them feel better, but I felt like a fucking zombie. That's the only way I can describe it. I didn't feel worried as much when on them, but I didn't really feel much of anything else either. I hated it. It was so fucking…” He motioned something in the air before himself and made a disgruntled sound before dropping back against his friend tiredly.

He knew of no word that could accurately describe the frustration. 'Frustration' didn't cut it, because the feeling was dulled down by the medicine. It was aggravating, but annoyance wasn't really there in its natural form either. It was almost like some kind of meta-frustration. Confusing is what it was.

Gajeel resumed his calm caressing of the other's head. “Hey, whatever happens, whatever you do, know I will be here for you, always.”

“Thank you. Really.”

  



	30. Birthday

Since he never got to be alone with his blond god the previous day, Bickslow decided afternoon was too far away for patience and excused himself from his friends during lunch. Walking up the stairs to the school roof instead, he typed a short message to the teacher.

> “Find me, quick or we'll be late.”

  


There was still plenty of time before the bell would ring, but when Laxus got the message he instantly turned on his heel. He still didn't know what the sudden hostility of the previous day had been about or how the two had worked it out. Perhaps they hadn't. Perhaps Bickslow was feeling down because of it.

Hurrying up the stairs and opening the heavy metal door to the roof once more, he looked around. As always, Bickslow was waiting behind the stairwell.

“What's going on? Are you okay?”

The teenager smiled back at him relaxed, lazily leaning against the wall.

“Perfect. I wanted to see you is all. It's my birthday today.”

Laxus exhaled. Why had he even worried? Bickslow would surely have written something less playful had there been a problem. Had he still been fighting with his friend, he would surely not even have turned up to class.

“Oh, right. That's today. Happy birthday”, Laxus said, stroking a hand over the teenager's cheek and giving him a kiss.

“I hope you aim to celebrate somewhere else”, he added teasingly and Bickslow smirked.

“Obviously. This is our secret spot.”

The blonde huffed a laugh at that. It really was, despite the unfitting location. He wasn't even sure if anyone was allowed to be up here. Since they were alone here every time, he suspected not. Then again, the door wasn't locked and he hadn't seen any rule explicitly against it.

Bickslow searched his pockets for something and produced a sheet of paper. Folding it out, he held it up for the teacher to read.

“Came in the mail this morning.”

Glancing over the document, Laxus realised what it was the teenager held in hand. He was eighteen now and thus no longer in state care. This was his official notice. The rest of the writing detailed what he should keep in mind for the future. Any bank account he had would be officially transferred to him, but any insurance was his own business, etc. etc.

The teenager grinned widely when he saw Laxus had understood the key element.

“I'm now officially my own man.”

“Congratulations.”

Stashing the paper away with care, Bickslow gave him a coy look, inching just a little closer.

“Do I get a present?”

It sounded a lot like he had something specific in mind, and most probably something naughty. Laxus repressed a smirk. Whatever it was, it was bound to entertain him as well.

“Like what?”, he asked.

“Maybe a toy?”, Bickslow mused, slipping one finger under his belt to tug him forward.

Forced to catch himself against the wall, the blonde gave a light growl. He loved this feisty side of the other, always sassy, always confident, and for some reason never intimidated by his broad statue. Even now that the teenager stood with his back against the wall, the muscular arms on either side of him having him trapped, he merely smirked like he had Laxus exactly where he wanted him.

Despite the arousing come on, the blonde hesitated, contemplating if the roof was private enough. It was among the highest points on campus, so no one would see them form any window. They were in the middle of the flat area, keeping them out of sight from anyone walking around outside. Figuring it would be okay just as long as they kept their voices hushed, he agreed to it.

“I won't have time to wrap it now.”

If at all possible, Bickslow's smirk grew even wider. “It's okay. The bow would only have gotten in the way.”

Keeping his eyes fixed on the blonde's face, he undid belt and trousers, slipping his hand beneath the cloth. First after pushing the clothes down just enough to free the man's length, did he finally look down. Teasing it lightly between his fingers, he watched with all attention how it raised, a tint of red spreading over the skin.

“It's a very pretty present.”

Amused that the teenager kept playing this game, Laxus chuckled. “Oh yea?”

The dark red eyes met his once more and Bickslow nodded. He looked dead serious as he spoke, once more convincing the blonde he would make for a brilliant actor. “Mhm. It's just the right size, lies nice and heavy in my hand. It seems exciting to ride and it's got such a nice texture, the skin so soft...” Stroking down firmly once, he got a gasp and smirked, “And yet it's so hard.”

Laxus repressed the urge to shut the teenager up. It was embarrassing to hear what Bickslow thought in such detail, but it was also equally enticing, the teenager adoring him so much.

“Especially at the tip, it is incredible”, Bickslow kept going, stroking his foreskin back agonisingly slowly. “So smooth, and the little drops of moisture gathering here...”, he mused, rolling his thumb over the glans. Bringing the hand to his face, he licked it off and smirked, “Delicious.”

“God, Bickslow”, Laxus grumbled hoarsely and he chuckled.

Shifting his hand down instead, he encircled the base and leaned in extra closely, looking down with the blonde as though they were admiring his cock together. “I wonder how big it is exactly”, he pondered and Laxus shrugged.

“I never bothered measuring.”

That seemed to break the younger man out of his role. He laughed heartedly. “You must have been such a strange teenager”, he teased. “I mean who hasn't at some point?”

Laxus just motioned at himself with a meaning look. He was aware that a lot of people were curious. It wasn't that odd. He just really didn't care.

When Bickslow kept sniggering, he decided to take things into his own hands and pushed the student back against the wall, reaching for his clothes in turn. As soon as he had his hand wrapped around the teenager's erection, the man went quiet, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

When they reopened, Laxus saw raw need. Pressing himself tightly against the other, he got a hold of them both and stroked their cocks together. Bickslow jerked violently, pursing his lips to repress a moan.

The teenager's hands found a hold on his shoulders and the soft lips came down on his neck. The harder it became to keep quiet, the more the black and blue haired man nuzzled against his skin, teasing and suckling beneath his ear to send shivers down his spine. Lost in hazy lust, he didn't even notice how Bickslow checked the clock on his cell.

Seeing that they didn't have much longer, the teenager pulled away. Pushing the teacher back a step, he dropped down, not hesitating to engulf the older man's length. A loud moan escaped the blonde and he shushed teasingly.

“Then don't surprise me like that”, Laxus growled back. It didn't sound awfully irritated, breathy as his voice was.

Bickslow was tempted to keep teasing, to force the blonde to say more with that ruined voice, but he knew they didn't have the time for such games now. Focusing on the task, he made sure the older man didn't last the minute.

Glancing up, he marvelled at the expression on the blonde's face as he came. No matter how many times he had observed it by now, there was no way he would ever get enough of that sight. Licking his lips, he stood back up, waiting as the teacher caught his breath.

Once Laxus had rearranged his clothes and gathered his thoughts again, he noticed just how damn pleased the teenager looked, that cocky smirk on his lips once more. “Not a word”, he warned and Bickslow just grinned wider. He did however keep quiet, not uttering whatever comment he had thought of.

“Come on. We have to get back soon”, he said instead and Laxus checked his wristwatch. Bickslow wasn't kidding. They had but minutes to go. About to kneel down, he was surprised that the teenager stopped him.

“Don't. You don't like the taste, do you?”

“So what?”

“So jerk me off instead”, Bickslow said, pulling him close once more.

“I don't mind doing this for you. Besides, it'll be a mess”, Laxus argued, but the younger man insisted, taking his hand and leading it down.

“Just fucking stroke me.”

Laxus didn't see the reason in it, but they hardly had the time to argue right now so he simply went with what the teenager requested, wrapping his other arm around the teenager and kissing him to silence while he stroked down with a firm grip.

Bickslow panted against his lips, the acrobatic body quickly going rigid. Again holding onto the strong shoulders, the teenager rolled his hips up against the hand working him, driving himself to the edge even quicker. Biting together, he arched his back and shuddered in silent orgasm.

Quickly blinking the stars out of his eyes, he took the blonde's wrist and brought the sticky hand to his face, licking the cum off Laxus's fingers. A feral growl told him the man enjoyed the show just as much as he loved giving it. He'd have to do this slowly sometime when they had the calm to do so, show the blonde just how naughty he could be. Humming a little to add to his mischievous show, he sucked each finger into his mouth shortly before backing off.

Laxus's lips found his almost instantly, the man's tongue invading as though he suddenly craved the taste. The heated advance sent a jolt of arousal through the teenager. Lightly pushing against the teacher's chest didn't help at all, so Bickslow finally resorted to pulling at the blond hair to get the older man to back off.

“You're gonna get me hard again”, he complained half-heartedly.

“Wouldn't that be fun? I'd love to see you sit through an entire lesson like that, aroused and unable to do anything about it”, Laxus chuckled.

“And people say I have a dirty mind”, the teenager retorted.

Aware how strongly he smelled of sex now, he produced his cigarettes and lit one. Just as he had expected, Laxus gave a disproving frown. He would have waited until they parted ways, but he was in a bit of a hurry.

“Didn't your psychologist tell you to stop smoking at least?”

Laxus had asked a lot about the therapy in the past, but Bickslow hadn't told him much. There were just certain things he wasn't ready for the blonde to know about, not while he was still in a superior position, while they were still teacher and student. It was a last wall between them that yet had to be broken.

One didn't talk about these things with the 'adults'. It was an unspoken rule he had grown up with and wasn't about to let go of it. He couldn't even really pinpoint why, where that idea came from to begin with, but it was there and it was important to him.

“Nope. He just told me not to drink any more. I'm an alcoholic. Great, right? I'm really loving this entire self awareness trip”, he answered sarcastically.

“At least someone is calling you out on it”, Laxus said and he sighed. Right, that was why. When you did say something, you only got critique in return either way.

As per usual, the teacher leaned in and kissed him. When he didn't put the smoke out at that, Laxus simply picked the cigarette out of his hand and extinguished it his own self.

“You promised”, he lectured.

Bickslow frowned at the blonde, more than a little bewildered. That promise had been about a whole lot more than just smoking and getting a kiss.

“You mean you still want to wait for me?”

Looking equally puzzled, Laxus nodded. “Of course I do. What are you even talking about?”

Had he not made it clear enough that he had every intention of working this out? That he wanted nothing more than be with the other? Giving the teenager a questioning look, he got a shrug in return, the black and blue haired man avoiding his eyes.

“Just, now that you know that I… have problems. I mean, you knew before that I was weird, but now… It's kinda real now, isn't it?”, he stumbled over his own words.

Realising how insecure Bickslow was when it came to this, Laxus softly placed his hands on the teenager's cheeks, easing his head back so the man faced him. Meeting the dark red eyes head on, he spoke as sincerely as he could possibly manage.

“Hey, I'm not going anywhere. You're not weird in the least. It can catch anyone. You will get better and I will be here for you, every step of the way.”

“Almost every”, Bickslow mumbled and he frowned once more.

“What am I missing?”

“You're not my boyfriend. You're my teacher. You won't even be with me later to celebrate.”

Laxus thought hard, trying to find the right thing to say. Something about how that wasn't the important part, about how they would get there eventually, something…

The bell rung and he sighed irritably. Damn that fucking thing! Bad timing was an understatement. Bickslow quickly escaped his hands and hurried downstairs. They could hardly turn up together after all.

Counting to three, Laxus too left the roof, cursing his hesitation. He ought to have been quicker, to have answered immediately. Dammit all!

Running into Mirajane in the hallway, he gave a forced smile, but she didn't return it. Instead, she frowned.

“Mr Dreyar?”, she stopped him.

“Yes?”

“You've got something there”, she pointed out, motioning to his neck.

Realising it first now, he clasped a hand over the love bite. Bickslow had been teasing that spot just moments ago. Of course it would be visible. He hadn't thought that far. Fuck, this was bad! His heart was racing. He grasped for an excuse, but nothing viable formed in his mind and he ended up opening his mouth only to close it again.

Shaking her head in disapproval, the white haired woman took his arm and dragged him along.

“Come on.”

Shoving him into the now empty teacher's lounge, she grabbed a small bag from her desk and picked some make-up from it, dabbing it onto his skin to hide the mark.

“Honestly, you should be a little more careful. Not that there are any rules against having hickeys but it's a very unfitting for a teacher, don't you think? Mr. Conbolt would surely not approve”, she lectured as she worked.

“Uh, yea I guess. Sorry… and thanks”, he managed. He was just glad she didn't suspect anything, didn't report him to the school for his, as she had put it, 'unfitting' behaviour. Maybe she really had forgiven his missteps with her already. She at least seemed to separate whatever had been between them privately from their working relation. She was as impressive as ever.

Had he though himself able to fall in love with women, she would probably have been the one he chased. No wonder Bickslow could get so jealous about her. Perhaps he shouldn't mention this to the teenager.

Dropping the small flask and pad back into the little pouch, she waved it off, “Don't mention it. Now hurry. You're late, and thanks to you, as am I.”

 


	31. Hurt Him

Once school ended for the day, Laxus got to grading the homework he had collected. He didn't want to have this kind of paperwork looming around once he got home. Hovering a red pen over the writing, he forced himself to run the question and correct answer in his head again.

It was a little hard to focus after the day he had had. The interrupted conversation he had with Bickslow during lunch still ghosted in the back of his mind. Since the teenager hadn't stayed to talk about it, he didn't think it wise to bring it up again right now either. He ought to figure out what he actually wanted to say before he did.

After a few minutes, one student returned to the empty classroom, closing the door behind himself and walking up to the master's desk. Putting aside the next paper and looking up, Laxus saw that it was Bickslow's heavily pierced friend that stood before him.

Usually when someone came back around instead of simply staying after class, what they had on their mind was a strictly private matter, something they didn't want anyone else to hear about. Entwining his fingers to keep himself from doing anything else, he gave his student all attention.

“What can I do for you, Gajeel?”

The dark haired man clicked his tongue, an angry scowl on his face. “Don't get all friendly with me. Do you really think no one noticed you were late?”, the teenager accused.

Raising an eyebrow at the disrespectful tone, Laxus tried to make sense of the statement. What was it to the dark haired man if he was a few minutes late for once? It wasn't like anyone else had cared.

“I had my reasons”, he merely responded and Gajeel hissed back in answer.

“Yea, I know exactly what your reason was. Do you think me stupid or something? I know you were with Bickslow. Did he take a smoke just to hide the smell? 'Cause I can tell you, it didn't work. He reeked of sex, of you.”

So that was what the hostility was about. Exactly why the teenager before him cared about this still wasn't entirely clear to him, though. Bickslow's other friends didn't seem to mind their relationship. What was the dark haired man hoping to achieve by this verbal attack?

“What do you want?”

Giving an affronted huff, Gajeel raised his voice. “What do I want? That's just brilliant, really. Great defence.”

Placing his hands broadly on the desk between them, he leaned in, clearly giving his best effort to seem intimidating.

“Do you even realise what the fuck you have done? Bickslow has been through too fucking much for this kind of shit. What you're doing is sick. You hear me? Sick. You're fucking disgusting.”

Was this what the dark haired man's fight with Bickslow had been about as well? Did he think it morally wrong for them to be together this way? Or did he perhaps think that Laxus forced the black and blue haired man to anything? That, being in a higher position, he manipulated the younger man somehow? He most certainly did not. It was all entirely mutual and he was very mindful not to give Bickslow any benefits nor handicaps because of what was between them.

“I never...”, he began, but he was interrupted at once. Gajeel clearly had no interest in hearing him out.

“You never what? You never broke the law? You never started a relationship with a minor in your care? You never promised an emotionally unstable teenager the fucking world? What the fuck did you never do exactly? Ha?!”

So he was mad because he though Laxus wasn't being sincere? He absolutely was, to a hundred percent. He had meant every word when he told the black and blue haired man that he would wait for him to graduate.

“I don't...”, he tried anew, but once more, Gajeel let out his anger before he could form a single sentence.

“Do you fucking realise what will happen if you let him down? Do you have any idea how attached he is? When your little schoolboy kink doesn't do it for you any more, he will break. This is not some fucking game!”

Damn right it wasn't.

“I know that. I love him”, Laxus declared shortly and clearly, not allowing himself to be interrupt a third time.

“For how long? Ha? You don't even know him. You don't know shit. How can you say you love him when you barely see him other than in class. You're a teacher. He doesn't tell teachers about the important stuff, so how could you ever truly know him?”

“I give it my best”, Laxus defended.

That got the strongest reaction so far.

“No you fucking don't!”, Gajeel bellowed and the blonde frowned back at him.

“If you would give it your best, if you would fucking love him, then you wouldn't do this to him. You wouldn't force him to sit here, so close to you and yet so far away. You would not make promises that you know you can't keep. You would not fucking put him through this torture if he meant even a fraction of what you claim.”

Laxus was stunned. Did Bickslow really suffer so much because of their relationship, or the lack thereof? Did Gajeel see what he couldn't? Bickslow had said it his own self, hadn't he? 'You're not my boyfriend, you're my teacher.' Unable to find his voice, he had no defence as the dark haired man kept berating him.

“How are you two ever going to walk down a street hand in hand? How the hell are you planing on building a life with him when everybody knows how you two know each other? Are you planning on keeping it all secret, to keep sneaking around? Maybe you can leave home at different times just as you walk away from your secret meetings here on campus? Or, I know, why don't you just pretend not to know another for three years until everyone forgets that you are fucking your god damn student?!”

Fearing the teenagers voice would carry too far and alert someone walking down the hallway, Laxus hissed, “Will you keep it down?!”

Feeling anger brooding under his skin, he took a deep breath. To start a shouting match was among the least productive things he could think of right now. Gajeel was clearly just worried about his friend. That was admirable. Actively calming his own temperament, he ensured, “We will think of something. We will make it work.”

Gajeel didn't seem impressed.

“Like what?! Do you honestly think that everything is just going to work itself out somehow? There is no magic spell that makes all of this okay all of a sudden. You're supposed to be a fucking teacher, but you can't even put this much together in your head? By Mavis!”

Loosing his cool, Laxus growled back, “What do you expect me to do, huh? End it?”

“Fuck no. You started this, so fucking deal with it. You're supposed to be a role model for him, someone he can rely on, always, not his next heartbreak. If you end it now, he won't be able to get over it. If you leave him in the middle of this, his recovery, then you seriously are the lowest fucking scum in this world”, Gajeel hissed between clenched teeth.

Leaning over the desk even further, he threatened, “Listen sharp. If you hurt him, I hurt you. I don't give a shit if you're older or taller or whatever the fuck. I will fucking end you. Got it?”

“I have no intentions of hurting Bickslow”, Laxus responded almost reflexively.

“You better fucking not”, the dark haired man snarled before turning around and stomping back to the door.

He shot the blonde one last murderous look. “You seriously fucked up. When he comes crying, I will fucking hunt you down. That's a promise.”

Leaving, he slammed the door shut and Laxus flinched. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stay calm.

It was true, wasn't it? He was supposed to be a reliable adult that the teenager could lean on, not a turbulent lover. And he really had no idea how he was supposed to keep his promise to the black and blue haired man. He wanted to make it work with every fibre of his being, with all of his might, but was that really enough? What if it wasn't? What if he was only hurting Bickslow further by insisting on this?

He had definitely done it before, said and done the exactly wrong thing in his effort to coordinate his feelings and his responsibilities when it came to the teenager. How the hell was he hoping to sort that out in the future if he couldn't even do it here and now where the rules were set, were clear as day?

Just how much was it he didn't know about the teenager for that matter? Surely more than he wanted to admit. He thought they had a pretty good communication, but he had sensed that there was a lot missing and now it was confirmed. Bickslow told him far from everything. The teenager didn't trust him entirely yet.

Why would he, after Laxus had gone behind his back, had decided things for him without as much as asking his opinion? Who would want someone like that as partner? How could he even be sure they would be good together in the long run?

His jaw trembled. He really was the worst, wasn't he? What the fuck was he thinking? He wasn't. Yet again, he just wasn't thinking. Why did it have to be so fucking hard to do the right thing? Why had he let all of this get out of hand so completely?

He was scared, so scared to loose Bickslow, scared to stay with him and hurt him, scared to do anything at all as well as not to act quickly and surely enough.

A tear fell, staining the topmost paper lying on his desk.

  



	32. I Love You

Laxus lay in bed for far too long. He was supposed to get up and get ready twenty minutes ago, but he just couldn't bring himself to. He was scared, worried, mad at himself, every negative emotion he could think of. Today, he was supposed to practice guitar with his student again. He had avoided Bickslow far too much already, not turning up the last time, not answering him, not stopping or staying when the teenager asked.

He just didn't know what to do.

After another fifteen minutes, it was too late to make it in time. Deciding that this had to count as feeling ill, he called in sick, making sure to sound terrible on the phone. Looking down at the small screen, he saw that Bickslow had tried again, sending him yet another message. He didn't even bother reading it. It would only make him feel worse, no matter what it said. Dropping the cell back onto the bedside table, he turned around and pulled the blanket over his head.

Realising he couldn't possibly fall back asleep with all these thoughts running rampage in his head, he got up instead and pulled a pair of tracksuit bottoms on. Stalking into the living room, he turned the stereo on and flopped down on the couch with a bottle of whiskey. It ought to drown his guilt at least for the time being, shut up all those voices in the back of his head, telling him how horrible he was.

When the doorbell rung, he groaned irritably. Checking the time, he saw that it was already afternoon. He was tempted to ignore it, but whoever stood outside could surely tell he was at home from the music alone. The doorbell rung again and he forced himself up and into the hallway. Figuring the dark rings under his eyes would be enough to convince anyone he was 'sick', he opened the door.

He had no idea whom to expect, but it was sure as hell not the person that actually stood in the hallway.

“Bickslow?”

Suddenly wide awake, he let the teenager in, closing behind him and frowning deeply. What was he doing here? It was still school hours. What a troublemaker.

“Are you aright?”, the black and blue haired man asked concerned and he nodded a little.

“Yea. I'm fine.” At least physically.

Bickslow quickly toed out of his shoes before walking further inside and coming up to to the teacher.

“I'm glad. I was worried. Did you catch a cold?”, he asked, holding a hand to the blonde's forehead with a concerned frown.

“Not exactly.”

“Are you ditching?”, the teenager teased.

Laxus didn't answer. He just took a measured breath. Fuck. How was he going to deal with all this? He felt like such a fucking piece of shit. He had tried to figure it all out somehow, but even after almost two weeks, he still didn't know what he ought to do, what he ought to say, to think even.

“Did you drink?”, Bickslow asked and he nodded.

“A little.”

That was the biggest lie in a while. He was drunk. It hadn't been the intention, but the alcohol had at least scared away his guilt. Up until Bickslow turned up in person that was. Now, he felt it stronger than even before.

The black and blue haired man leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. Opening his mouth, he allowed Bickslow to take full control, letting himself being pulled closer by the other. It was exactly what he had needed, the loving touch pure heaven.

“Tastes good”, Bickslow mused.

It was first then that Laxus realised how unhelpful he was being. Bickslow was struggling with an addiction, and here he was, getting drunk right in front of the teenager. Then again, Bickslow hated being patronised, so perhaps it was fine. Shit. He couldn't think properly, couldn't ponder this right now. The younger man didn't seem to think much of it at least.

Bickslow happily kept their lips locked, running his hands over the blonde's exposed upper body. When he lowered them, slipping two fingers under the waistline of the tracksuit bottoms, Laxus stopped him, catching his hands and pulling back from him.

It stung, physically hurt to be rejected now. He had worried when the blonde ignored him, had done his best to convince himself there was a simple explanation, that Laxus probably was a little stressed or something, but now he knew that was in no way the case.

Forcing a smile to avoid any embarrassing emotion to show itself, he huffed, “I knew it. You don't want me any more.”

Laxus shook his head, frowning deeply. “What are you talking about? Of course I do.” He just didn't want to make further mistakes, at least not without thinking first. Why that took him so long, he didn't know. It ought to be simple, but it just wasn't. There was no step by step guide on how to deal with this. 'Just stick to the rules' or 'just follow your heart', or perhaps some combination thereof? How the hell was he supposed to know?

“Oh yea? Then what's with the sudden cold shoulder? You don't turn up to tutoring. You don't respond to my texts, don't have time to stay and talk to me for a minute. Now you're playing sick. Do you think I'm stupid or something?”, Bickslow demanded.

The blonde again shook his head. He had known it would look bad. He felt so fucking horrible. “No. Of course not. Bickslow, I love you.”

That's right. He loved this man. It wasn't just a kink, a game or whatever else anyone might think. Whatever hardship may come their way, he would ride it out. They would surely make mistakes, hurt and burn, fight and make up along the way, but he for one was okay with that if it meant he could be with the other.

“I love you, Bickslow. I really fucking love you. I swear I do.”

Bewildered at the sudden declaration, the teenager frowned back at him, slowly entwining their fingers.

“Laxus? What's going on?”, he wondered.

“I'm just confused”, the blonde admitted. He brought their joined hands up to cup the black and blue haired man's face, stroking over his cheeks softly with his thumbs.

“About what?”

“Us. Me. Everything.”

“Us?”, Bickslow repeated, suddenly feeling a stone in his stomach.

Realising how that sounded, the teacher shook his head yet again. Fuck, why did he have such a hard time putting words to this? The intoxication surely didn't help.

“No. Not like that. I just... Maybe I should quit Fairy Tail.” That was the most prominent idea that had formed in his mind over the past days. If he did that, they wouldn't be teacher and student any more. That was what they needed, wasn't it?

The teenager looked more than surprised, and not the least bit happy. “What? No, I don't want that.”

“Not? That way we could be together”, Laxus said. “Maybe”, he added thoughtfully. It was hard to reason right now.

“But you love this job. I don't wanna ruin it for you”, Bickslow argued.

“So what?”, the blonde countered. He rested his forehead against the other's. “That's nothing compared to being with you.”

Stunned by the statement, Bickslow stood quiet for a long moment, merely blinking back at the older man. Was he serious? Was this, them, really that important to the blonde? He felt both honoured and almost a little embarrassed.

Seeing the mixed expression on the other's face, Laxus closed the distance and pressed a lingering and soft kiss to his lips.

“Bickslow, I love you. I love you. I really love you. I love you so fucking much it hurts”, he declared, giving the teenager a new kiss after every sentence.

Picking the younger man up, he met zero resistance. Bickslow wrapped his legs around the blond man's hips as though it were mere instinct, letting himself be carried into the bedroom and dropped down on the bed.

Laxus crawled over him, something almost feral glistening in the orange eyes. Leaning down, he assaulted the teenager's lips anew, hungrily this time. “Fuck, I love you. I love you. I love you so much. I love you.”

Bickslow instinctively arched his back as the blonde worked his way down his body, opening his shirt and kissing every new inch of skin that was revealed. Over and over again, he repeated his declaration of love like a prayer. Why the older man keep saying that so much today, Bickslow had no idea, but he sure as hell enjoyed hearing it.

When Laxus reached his trousers, he finally went quiet, instead worshipping the teenager wordlessly, his mouth otherwise occupied. He didn't hurry, didn't seem to think time existed at all as he kept adoring the teenager's arousal, licking, nipping and sucking him.

Bickslow could hear his breaths turn to moans and his moans to whines before he couldn't take it any more. The slow pace and needy expression on the blonde's face were driving him insane. Taking a hold of the soft hair, he finally forced his own rhythm on the older man, bucking his hips up until he was standing right on the edge. Motioning Laxus away, he was met with resistance. The teacher grabbed a hold of his hips, taking over and actively bobbing his head until he couldn't hold back any more and came with a broken whine of desire.

The blonde swallowed hard, not the slightest hint of dissatisfaction on him as he looked back up. “I love you”, he repeated yet again before dropping his head, resting on the teenager's stomach like a kitten looking to be cuddled.

Stroking through the soft blond strands of hair, Bickslow mumbled a small, “I know.”

After a moment, he started felling a little dizzy, post-climax exhaustion threatening to coax him to sleep. He resisted with all his might, keeping his eyes on the beautiful man resting atop him instead. What had gotten into Laxus?

Hours passed in silence, the blonde's breathing all that reached his ears, his heartbeat and hot skin all his senses could pick up on. It was the single most tranquil thing he had ever experienced and he hated to end it, but they had certain rules they kept to.

“It's getting dark. I should go”, he said quietly.

To his surprise, the man that usually shooed him away to make sure their relationship stayed secret now took a firm hold of him, burring his face against his stomach and almost curling together. “Stay. Please stay.”

“Okay.”

  


When Laxus woke, it was bright in the room around him again. Bickslow was still underneath him, the warm chest raising and lowering calmly and the school uniform in disarray. Over him, a blanket had been tossed haphazardly.

Opening his eyes, he sighed. What the fuck was he thinking, asking the younger man to stay? The guards of Fairy Tail were surely searching the entire town for the teenager by now. If he had ever wanted to blame his actions on alcohol, it was now.

“Let's run away.”

Rubbing his eyes, he frowned deeply. He must have misheard. “What?”

Bickslow resumed ruffling through his hair. “Let's run away together. Like in that film we watched during the summer. Let's just pack and go.”

It sounded awfully romantic, but it was absolutely out of the question. Bringing his hands between his chin and the teenager's chest, propping himself up so he could look back at the other comfortably, he shook his head. “We can't do that.”

“Why not?”, the black and blue haired man asked disappointed, tilting his head to the right a little with an inquisitive air. He knew why, but he didn't want to admit that he did.

Grumbling a little at the way too serious morning discussion, Laxus began with the most pressing issue, “Well, for one, we would be registered as missing. While you might not be a minor any more, you're still under Fairy Tail's protection. They will find you, no matter how far you run, believe me.”

“I don't like adults”, Bickslow pouted and he couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable expression.

“You're one yourself now, though”, he teased.

“I guess. So shouldn't I be allowed to make my own decisions then?”

Raising an eyebrow at the younger man, Laxus wondered, “You're serious, aren't you?”

Bickslow met his eyes, nodding firmly. “I barely slept. I just thought about how much I want to leave. Right now. Today. With you.”

Laxus shook his head. He forced himself into a seated position.

“No. Graduate, that's more important. I'll still be here once you do.”

“I can do that elsewhere, though, can't I?”, the teenager insisted and he made a face.

“Theoretically, sure, but...” As if the fact that he was newly awoken didn't make it hard enough to keep on topic already, the teenager's half naked body lying before him sure as hell didn't help either. He looked delicious like that, hair tousled and the fine shirt open, neck tie beside him on the pillow.

“But what? Don't you want to? Yesterday you talked about quitting your job. I was right, wasn't I? You really do like this school that much, don't you?”

Forcing himself to focus, Laxus shook his head again. As if he gave a shit about the job. No, not any more. He didn't care about it even half as much as he cared about Bickslow. “No, that's not it. I just don't want to hurt you. I don't want to rip you away from everything you know, your friends, your home, your band and girlfriend.”

“You hate that I have a girlfriend”, Bickslow countered and he grumbled. Damn brat, always nitpicking.

“That's not the point.”

His eyes inevitably wandered further down the beautiful body that lay on display for him, the well trained legs on either side of him, the dress pants open and a for the time being unmoved cock peeking out. Who was he kidding? He really wanted to go. In contrast to Bickslow, there was not a whole lot holding him here in Hargeon. And if the teenager really wanted to, why would he refuse? But he had to be sure.

Forcing his eyes back up as not to be completely awkward, he determined, “Okay. Here's the deal. I do have another job offer I probably could go back on, but you should really think about all of this for a few weeks. It's not something you can just get up and do.”

“Where?”, Bickslow asked at once.

“Crocus, International School of Science.”

He got an impressed look from the teenager. “Wow. Not bad.”

“Yea, well, either way, we can't be rash”, the blonde stated firmly.

Reaching up for him, Bickslow got a hold of his neck and teased, “Why not? Isn't rash what we do best? I think it's kinda our speciality to be honest.”

Removing the hand again instead of leaning down, Laxus grumbled, “Just wait and think before you act, okay? What's important right now, is that you are late to class.”

“And you”, the teenager countered.

“I'm sick, remember?”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Bickslow huffed, “Then I'm not going either. I don't like our substitute teacher.”

Slimming his eyes, the teacher sighed. “That has to be the lamest excuse I have heard in a while.”

“So what?”

“Go.”

The orange and dark red eyes battled for a while before a mischievous smirk spread over the teenager's lips. Grabbing a hold of the still sleepy teacher, he swiftly turned them around, straddling the blonde. He hadn't missed the way Laxus's eyes had wandered down his body.

“You don't really want that”, he purred, licking over the sweet spot on Laxus's neck while he reached down, teasing the man's forming erection through the soft cloth.

Laxus gave a strangled moan. “Unfair”, he complained.

Here he had aimed to shoo the teenager to school, where the man was supposed to be at this hour, but Bickslow knew far too well how to motivate him to rule breaking and indecent behaviour. He was far too tired, far too groggy to possibly fight it, to combat his arousal.

Grinning when he knew he had won, Bickslow kissed the blonde. “Sue me.”

Seeing his tie lying beside them, he got an idea. Picking it up, he pulled it between fingers so the older man would see and had the chance to put the puzzle together in his head, realise what he was planning before he got to it.

When Laxus merely eyed the fabric before meeting his eyes again, no complaints voiced, he decided to go for it and took the teacher's hands, bringing them up over his head and tying them together best he could. Smirking, he brought the longest end sticking out from his messy knot around one slat of the headboard. While he doubted his spontaneous creation could keep the strong man in check, it at least created the illusion and that was more than enough for him.

The pose was beautiful, the blonde's muscular chest and arms pronounced perfectly. Running a hand down the firm abs, he murmured, “Fuck you're hot.”

“At least it seems like I have an excuse like this”, Laxus chuckled.

Trying the knot lightly, he concluded, “Actually have an excuse.” He could probably get away if he really wanted to, but that might ruin the tie.

Grinning, Bickslow shifted off him, pulling his trousers off and letting them fall to the floor. Had anyone told Laxus a year ago that he would end up here, he'd have called them crazy, but here he was, completely nude, on his back, tied up, and willing to let another man do pretty much whatever he pleased.

The teenager shook his shirt off entirely and then got out of bed.

“Bickslow?”

Motioning patience, the black and blue haired man disappeared into the bathroom, leaving him waiting. When he returned however, Laxus got more than he had bargained for.

Bickslow was dashing with his hair still damp, nipples perky, his cock standing attention, and a demanding look in his eyes. He didn't hesitate in the least, getting back on the bed, climbing atop the blonde and stroking him firmly until he was hard. Not a minute did he waste on teasing, steadying the erection against himself and easing down with a pleased groan.

Laxus wrung underneath the teenager, not used to this kind of demanding approach from him. Cursing aloud, he had to close his eyes for a moment just to get his mind back together. Bickslow didn't give him that much time, though. He felt a hand on his chin, making him face the younger man.

“Look at me.”

He couldn't possibly go against it, not when Bickslow's voice was that firm, that breathy, both at the same time. Looking back at the black and blue haired man, he was met by a happy grin.

“Keep your eyes on me. I love it when you watch me”, the teenager said playfully, upping his movement and ridding as ardently as the very first time. Enjoying the stormy orange eyes on him, he ran his hands up his sides, making a show of caressing his skin.

“Fucking hell, Bickslow.”

“You like that?”, the teenager teased. He licked his lips, running the dark nail polish decorated fingers through his hair before stroking his hands down his chest and stomach, wrapping one hand around his cock. Stroking himself, he braced himself on the blonde's hip with the other arm to keep his movement steady.

“Come here”, Laxus growled eagerly and he raised an eyebrow. The blonde leaned up a little, assuming he would match it and meet the man's lips. But what was the fun in doing what was expected of him?

He brought his hand to the blonde's face instead, running his thumb over the soft lips. Laxus pressed a kiss to the digit. When he still didn't adhere to what the teacher wanted at that, the man parted his lips and took the finger in, sucking at it to deal his tease back at least partially. When he released the digit again, Bickslow stroked the saliva over his arousal, slowly rolling the thumb over his glans.

Another throaty sound left the older man at the naughty display. “Fuck, I wanna touch you.”

Shaking his head a little, Bickslow teased, “Na-ah. You're good right where you are.”

Bucking his hips up, Laxus groaned, “Come on!”

He would almost have slipped out a 'please', but managed to catch himself just in time. Bickslow however seemed able to tell either way. Annoying.

Thoughtful, the teenager eased his rhythm somewhat. “You're not gonna force me to leave after this, are you?”, he demanded.

“How could I?”, the blonde answered breathlessly. Honestly, how the fuck could he possibly after all this? There was no way he would let Bickslow leave any time soon.

The black and blue haired man stilled and reached up for his tie, having a little trouble sorting out the tousle he had created. He huffed a laugh as the moment got awkward and Laxus sniggered as well, patiently waiting while the younger man untied him.

Once free, Laxus didn't waste any time, rolling them over and taking a firm hold of the headboard to give him leverage as he thrust forward, hard.

Gasping, Bickslow instinctively pulled one leg up. Catching it, the blonde got an even better angle to drive home deeply and he grabbed the sheets as his back arched up.

“Fuck, Laxus!”

Laxus worried for a split second that he was being a bit too harsh, but the teenager didn't actually complain. Feeling feverish, he decided not to let off until the man asked him to. Too intense was not necessarily a bad thing after all.

Bickslow found one of his hands, forcing it from the headboard and between them. “Then touch me”, he demanded breathlessly.

Not about to search for the lube in the heat of the moment, Laxus merely spit into his hand before working the teenager.

If there was anything better than seeing Bickslow eagerly taking what he wanted, it was this, seeing him on his back in bliss, struggling to somehow keep in place while he was being fucked. He would love to see all of the teenager while doing this, get a third person view of the entire happening. The black and blue haired man was so fucking beautiful.

Feeling himself closing in on orgasm, he decided to be mean and stilled entirely, the younger man whining in complain underneath him.

“Come on!”, Bickslow hissed, but he merely shook his head. Leaning down so far their noses were touching, he grinned, “Na-ah. This is good just as it is.”

Oh, the look in the dark red eyes, so needy, so desperate, just lovely, perfect. He was going to drag this out until the man's voice was completely broken. If need be, he had a tie at hand that he could restrain the teenager with.

  



	33. Planning

Laxus stretched slowly. His arms were sore after the exhausting sex from before. The warmth of the others body beside him on the bed felt far too good. He didn't ever want to get up, didn't want time to resume. He'd be happy to stay here between soft cloth and hot skin forever.

Sighing in content, he came closer to the teenager. He snuggled against the first body part he could find, an arm. It moved and he opened his eyes, glancing up at the younger man. The teenager was leaning back against the headboard, his phone in his hands and a focused look on his face.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking out schools in Crocus that I could go to”, Bickslow answered absent-mindedly.

Sitting up, Laxus snatched the phone from the man and got an irritated look in return.

“Bickslow, I told you, don't be rash. If we're gonna do this, we have to think before acting”, he insisted. Dropping the cell on the bedside table, he pulled his impulsive lover close and back under the covers. Spooning the younger man, he tucked his chin on the man's shoulder.

“So you do want to?”, Bickslow asked, glancing back at him.

Entwining their fingers and placing the joined hands on the teenager's stomach, Laxus nodded. “Yea, I do. Of course I do.” He raised an eyebrow in question when the younger man began to snigger.

“By the power vested in me by no one, I now pronounce you husband and husband”, the black and blue haired man teased.

“Idiot.”

“Gyha”

Going quiet again, Bickslow eyed him for a long while, slowly turning onto his back so their eyes could meet properly once more.

“Laxus, I uh… this might be a really awkward time to go there, but I just...”

He struggled a little, licking his lips as he carefully picked and arranged his words before opening his mouth again. Once he did, it still didn't really come out the way he had planned it, though.

“When Ms. Ericsson died, I thought about how she never got married or had any kids and… I am really not saying that we should hurry or anything like that, because we really should not. Definitely not. It would be long before any...”

He was interrupted by a tender kiss.

“I love you and I want a family as well, once it is time”, Laxus ensured him. He loved that thought, getting married and having children run around the house. Hell, Bickslow would be an amazing father to adopted children, because he knew exactly what it was like to go though the system. He would be able to really understand them. He would be marvellous.

It wouldn't be for a while, but he understood that Bickslow wanted to know. They were talking about starting a life together now, to actually go and do it. It would get really complicated if they found out that they didn't want the same things out of life a few years down the road. He was glad he didn't have to be the one to bring it up.

He still didn't feel like he had the right to move things along, no matter how much he would love to. It wouldn't really be okay for him to take initiative or ask Bickslow to do anything for him, not as things were. The teenager had to be in the driver's seat, at the very least until they were on equal ground.

He couldn't help but imagine what it would be like, being out in town with Bickslow, on a date, no one bothering them. Feeling his heart flutter in his chest, he sighed. When was he going to give in? There was no point in trying to fight it. Deep down, he already knew that.

“Fuck it. Lets do it. I can't wait another year.”

“Really? You're serious?”, Bickslow grinned happily.

He nodded. “But we're going to be smart about it, aright?”

Listening attentively, the teenager waited for him to get specific.

“I will contact Crocus and once I have an answer, you try to find something as well, aright? Not before that. I don't even know if they still want me. But either way, we will do it, go somewhere, just as soon as we've got the details figured out.”

Bickslow nodded in affirmation. “Okay.”

He turned away again only to wiggle backwards and pull the teacher's arm around him, the warm skin against this back ensuring him that he would be fine, would be happy. Closing his eyes, he could feel the blonde press soft kisses to his shoulder and neck, caressing slowly.

“It's gonna be hard to find an apartment in Crocus, isn't it? I heard there's a housing shortage. And I don't even have a job...”, he murmured.

Laxus stopped what he was doing, holding the teenager tightly against himself. He sounded almost a little insecure when he suggested, “I thought we'd stay together.”

Turning his head to the side, Bickslow looked surprised, “Really? Like living together? Right from the start?”

“Yea.”

Nuzzling against the younger man's skin, Laxus mumbled, “I mean, if you want to.”

If they moved in together, they would be able to lie close like this every night. It was perfect! Beyond perfect!

“Hell yea I want to!”

“Good.”

With that, the blonde went back to fondling him, drawing patterns on his skin with his lips and retracing his abs with his fingers.

“It'll be fun”, Bickslow mused. “I can cook for you again, like that first night.”

“I'd like that.”

“Yea?”

“Mm”, Laxus murmured, preoccupied with touching him.

“And we can do our nails together”

The blonde raised an eyebrow at that. “I don't 'do' my nails.”

“I know. That's why”, Bickslow teased, taking a hold of his thumb and holding it out beside his own perfectly manicured nail demonstratively.

“Tsk”, the teacher grumbled.

Pulling his hand free, he sighed, “Aright, if you want me to. And then we can start at the same gym.”

“I don't really go to gyms”, it was Bickslow's turn to complain.

“Then do something else, but don't think I haven't noticed that you're not really moving much. It won't do, especially since you're recovering. Workout is important for mental health too”, the blonde insisted.

“Gehz. Yea, yea, I know. Okay. You give your fingers a little more love and I'll find a sports activity.”

“Maybe I'll try acrobatics again”, he added quietly. “It's been a while.”

It was hard to miss just how elegant and strong the younger man was. Laxus had suspected the teenager used to train some kind of balance and flexibility intense sport.

“What made you stop?”, he wondered.

“I dunno”, Bickslow lied.

He had figured it out by now, why jumping around the mat and swinging high had started boring him so. It was common with depression, old interests loosing their charm, and for some reason especially the healthy ones. For some reason, he didn't really feel comfortable talking about it outside the clinic, though.

Every time Laxus asked about something like this, it made him think of just how much he didn't say, didn't tell the man he was planning to build a life with. He knew he had no obligation to, and the blonde had ensured him multiple times that it was fine, but it still made him feel guilty somehow.

Taking a deep breath, he hid his face against the pillow and murmured, “I'm sorry.”

“What for?”, Laxus asked.

When he didn't get an answer, he turned the teenager around, stroking a hand over his cheek softly. The dark red eyes avoided him, but he kept looking until they gave in and met him. The teenager seemed upset all of a sudden. Not wanting to press it, to show he could also just be there, without explanation, he simply waited in silence for whatever the younger man wanted to or didn't want to say.

“I'm sorry I never talk to you”, Bickslow finally whispered.

“It's okay. I'm here if you want to, talk or no talk. You know that.”

“Yea, I know. But still.”

Laxus kissed him, holding him tight and stroking down his back, doing his utmost to show that he really did not mind in the least.

“Hey, what do you think of this bed?”, he distracted.

“What?”

“This bed. Do you think we should take it along or do you want to get a new one?”

Huffing a laugh as he realised what the blonde was doing, Bickslow shrugged a little. “The bed is fine. That closet on the other hand makes you look incredibly straight”, he teased and Laxus laughed aloud.

“That is one of the most creative insults I have heard in my days.”

“You're welcome”, Bickslow smirked and he shook his head.

“Aright then. What does a good closet look like according to you?”

The teenager grinned widely.

“For starters, mirror doors are obviously better than plain wood.”

They spent the rest of the evening in bed, talking and planning, arranging furniture in their imaginary new apartment.

  


When Laxus came back to work the next day he wasn't the least bit surprised to find a notice on his desk, declaring that Bickslow was to be punished for disappearing for two entire school days, scaring the living hell out of the staff. Feeling just a little guilty to have been the cause of this, Laxus told his student to stay after class and showed him the paper.

“Figures”, Bickslow merely sighed, picking out a pen and scribbling his signature to accept the double detention.

Separating the slips of paper, the blonde handed him one with a small, “Sorry about that.”

The teenager sniggered a little. “No you're not.”

“A little, actually”, Laxus ensured him. While their time together had been brilliant, he shouldn't have protested when the teenager said that he ought to leave. That was exactly what he ought to have done.

“I got a hold of the principal at CISoS during lunch”, he changed the topic and Bickslow smiled.

“And?”

“I got the position.”

The teenager was overjoyed at the news, even taking a little skip as he rounded the table and pressed a kiss to the teacher's lips. He was smiling over both ears.

“That's great! I'll apply too then. I found a nice looking school in the southern part of the city. It's even got a music program, so I should be able to join some band or orchestra or something there.”

Resisting the urge to pull his arms around the other, Laxus nodded. “Sounds good. Do that. But keep in mind, you don't know about my plans and I don't know about yours. Okay?”

“Right.”

“Lets not meet any more until then. We just text or see each other in class. No tutoring, no staying late, nothing.”

Bickslow nodded. “Yea. I get it.”

“Now go.”

The black and blue haired man gave him one last long kiss before walking away.

The coming weeks were going to be hard. After getting that close to the teenager, it would feel weird not to be allowed near him any more, to just look and never touch, not even kiss. Hopefully it wouldn't be for long.

  



	34. Leaving

“Oy! Anybody home?”

Bickslow looked up from his phone in surprise when Gajeel waved a hand in his face. The heavily pierced man looked back at him expectantly and he gave a sheepish grin, putting the device away.

“Sorry, did you say something? I wasn't listening.”

“Noted. You haven't even touched your lunch”, his friend grumbled irritably.

“What's got you so distracted?”, Lucy wondered and he shrugged innocently.

It was about time to break the news, wasn't it? His application was in and he was pretty confident he would be accepted. Not a lot of youths lived on the southern side of the city and the school was most desperately searching for students, so it would be a real surprise if he got rejected, no matter how low grades he reported.

“I'm thinking of moving to Crocus”, he admitted.

All three stopped dead at that, dropping their cutlery and exchanging glances as though trying to figure out if this was a joke and if any of the others got it. Finally, they settled on simply staring at him dumbfounded.

“You what?”

“I applied to a small school there, something less strict. I'm eighteen now, so why should I be monitored so closely all the time?”, Bickslow responded, getting to his own meal just so he had something to do with his hands other than nervously fiddling around. He had no idea what kind of reaction to expect from his friends.

“This is because of Mr Dreyar, isn't it?”, Gajeel asked sourly.

There was little point in denying it. They would hear about the other man's plans for leaving soon enough and from there on out, it really wasn't hard to figure out what was going on, not if you knew they were seeing each other.

He simply nodded to confirm.

“That scarrfaced bastard”, the dark haired man growled.

While Bickslow hadn't heard about the confrontation between his friend and the teacher, he had definitively noticed that the heavily pierced man didn't like the situation one bit, that he thought Laxus some kind of manipulative asshole. And who could blame him? There were good reasons for the laws that now complicated their relationship so much.

He shook his head and ensured, “I was the one that suggested it.”

Gajeel frowned deeply at that, like he was trying to make up his mind about weather he ought to believe that or not. An awkward air of suspicion spread around their table.

Bickslow smiled a little to ease the mood. “I know you don't like it, but love him.”

Prodding the food with his fork and leaning forward, he lowered his voice, bringing their group together more and ensuring no one would overhear the conversation.

“We can't be together here. You said it your own self, it's fucked up. It just doesn't work here. It's all wrong the way it is, so we're going to leave. He won't be my teacher any more and no one will know. We'll be able to be together, for real.”

“You can't be serious”, the dark haired man hissed back across the table.

“I am dead serious. He'll teach at CISoS and I'll find something too. We'll even live together. We're going to start building a life together.”

Lucy at least had seen Laxus's care for the teenager first hand already and was thrilled to hear about their plans. “That's great. I'm so happy for you. I'm almost a little envious. It sounds so romantic, the two of you moving away so you can be together. It's like taken straight form a romance novel, the secret lovers eloping in the dark of night”, she cheered.

“Thanks Princess. The inspiration was a film, actually. I don't read if I can avoid it. Eow”, he chuckled and the blonde rolled her eyes at his ridiculous statement.

“You are not going to leave at the same time, are you? Isn't it going to be kinda rough, being away from each other in the meantime?”, Levy asked, instantly overanalysing the situation and identifying possible obstacles.

“That's what we were discussing”, Bickslow nodded, motioning to his phone.

“He will move before me. We figured it would be weird if we leave together, and I can hardly be the one that finds us a place to stay, so he'll go first. I guess I will find out how well long-distance relationships work for me”, he jested.

Leaning back again, he couldn't chase the smile off his face any more even if he would have wanted to.

“Seriously though, we'll text and such. He promised to send me pictures of the apartment when he finds one, let me help him decide on furniture from afar. When I join him, it will be all set up.”

“Sounds like you have it all figured out”, Lucy said.

“Well, I do hope so.”

Leaning over to her, he grinned, “I insisted on a closet with mirror doors at least. So that's a given.”

Sniggering, the cheerleader nodded amused, “Good move.” She could imagine all too well what he wanted with that, other than check if his outfit for the day matched.

Wiggling his eyebrows, the black and blue haired man made it worse without as much as opening his mout and she broke down in laughter.

“You're insane. That's just deprived.”

“Oh, you bet it is. Just imagine the possibilities”, Bickslow purred teasingly, licking the shell of her hear just to see her jump and blush.

The blonde brought her hands up, pushing him away and shaking her head in an effort to wave the thought away. “Urgh! Why?! You realise I won't be able to get rid of that mental image again, right?”

“Gyhaha! Now you just make me curious, what the hell are you thinking off exactly?”

“Like I would tell you”, Lucy sniggered, shoving him playfully, and he too burst out laughing.

When Bickslow calmed down again, he looked around in bewilderment.

“Where the hell did Gajeel go?”

  


Laxus was only mildly surprised when Gajeel turned up at the teacher's lounge, asking for him.

He could guess what had brought the visit on. There was one topic in particular he knew was bound to come up sooner or later, and it just so happened that the dark haired man wasn't a fan. The question was, how would the wild man react to it? Laxus wanted to avoid any loud confrontation if he could.

Leaving the common room and walking down the hallway with his student, he made sure to pick the classroom furthest from the other teachers to talk, and he initiated with a cautious warning.

“If you're going to be angry, make sure to keep it down at least or you will only end up hurting your friend.”

“I'm not.”

Laxus was more than surprised. Gajeel clearly understood what he was referring to, but he wasn't mad? Looking back at the heavily pierced man, he waited for an explanation.

“You're really going to leave? Move across the country just for Bickslow's sake?”, Gajeel asked and he nodded. That summed it up very well. He was not just ready to leave, he was happy for the opportunity to do it.

Gajeel stalked over to the nearest table and pulled out a chair, flopping down in it. With crossed arms, he inspected the blond teacher, keeping an eye out for any odd reaction as he continued, “He said that he was the one that asked you to go, that it was his idea.”

Again, Laxus nodded. That was how it had happened. It had surprised him too, greatly.

“And that you'd move in together.”

The blonde's head dipped in a third nod. “That one was my idea, though, I will admit”, he stated.

The dark red eyes slimmed and he was fearing an outburst, but only a sigh made its way past the teenager's sharp teeth.

“I'm sorry. I didn't know you were that serious about him”, Gajeel murmured, looking down at his shoes to avoid the orange eyes.

Impressed that the student had the guts to admit he went overboard, Laxus shook it off. “Not at all. You're not wrong to be angry at me. What happened still isn't okay, and I know that all too well.”

Gajeel watched him wordlessly for a while, processing those words. “Yea, well, it's a chance to make it right, isn't it?”, he finally said and Laxus nodded.

“Something along those lines. I know that I shouldn't, that I'm not allowed to, but I love him and if that makes me an asshole then so be it. Honestly, you probably gave us the push we needed right now, to wake up and see things for what they are, realise what we have to do”, he admitted. Since when was he this open about himself? Bickslow really had changed him, hadn't he? In a good way, no doubt.

“Uhm. Do I say you're welcome or?”, the heavily pierced man joked and he huffed in amusement.

“Thanks”, he simply rolled with it.

“I still mean what I said, though. Hurt him and I hurt you”, the other man insisted. He glared back at the teacher firmly, keeping a straight face for several drawn out seconds before cracking a toothy smile.

“I'm messing with you Man. You're okay. Take care of Bickslow for me, aright?”, he grinned, standing back up.

Somewhat relieved not to have a quarrel with any of his lover's friends any more, Laxus nodded, “I will.”

The wild man moved a step toward the door before stopping and hesitating. “Make sure he really goes to his meetings and…” Turning back to the teacher, he took a measured breath. “Fuck, I just know he hasn't told you yet, and I really shouldn't either, but you need to hear it.”

“What?”

“You must have noticed he has a scar on his wrist...”

After hearing the story, Laxus was stunned. He had no idea that the black and blue haired man's suicide attempts had been while he was being medicated. “Shit”, was the most constructive reaction he could manage and Gajeel just nodded in turn.

“So, if he starts taking medicine, be there. And I mean fucking be there all the time. Watch him, day and night. Do whatever you have to do. Keep him safe. Promise me that.”

Laxus nodded at once. “Of course. I won't let anything happen to him. Thank you for telling me.”

The dark haired man made a face. “Just maybe don't tell him you know about it before it actually comes up. It's not like he said it was a secret or anything, but I don't think he'll love hearing that I went gossiping.”

“I got it”, the blonde promised.

One advantage of his education as teacher, he had been forced through several crisis management and social studies courses, now able to feel confident in his ability to handle the situation should it arise.

  


Days and weeks passed.

Mr. Dreyar officially left his position at Fairy Tail and moved away to work at the prestigious high school in central Crocus instead. Waiting a while before handing in his own paperwork, Bickslow followed suit, transferring to the capital as well.

Avoiding any questions the administration threw at him with vague gestures and shrugs or the annoying yet effective practice of returning the questions rather than answering them, Bickslow got everything squared out within hours. He was making a clean cut, leaving that same weekend.

Proudly marching back to his friends with the thick bunt of paper in hand, he grinned widely.

“Grades, notices, principal's letter, reports, bla bla and etc. Time to get packing I guess.”

He was surprised when Gajeel caught him in a bone crushing hug, lifting him off the ground with ease.

“I'm gonna miss you.”

“Urfh! Don't kill me. I'm gonna miss you guys too. You'll have to visit sometime”, he managed breathlessly and the women chuckled amused as he was being set back down tentatively.

“Oh, we will visit aright, don't you worry. I always wanted to see the capital. Now that you will be living there, we won't need to spend any money on a hotel”, Levy teased.

She too gave him a big hug. “Keep in touch now. Write every day.” Seeing a sceptical look on the one year older man, she sighed, “At least every week.”

“Week sounds more reasonable”, he chuckled.

Turning to the blond cheerleader he had called girlfriend for the time being, he got a mischievous smile in return. Lucy put on a theatrical affronted expression before she rose from the couch and walked over to him. “We”, she said, pointing between them demonstratively, “Are so over.”

“On no”, Bickslow exhaled in shock.

Placing one finger on his cheek, he motioned a tear running down his face, the corners of his lips dropping into a sad pout, and she laughed heartedly. She considered herself to be pretty good at playing pretend, but in comparison to this maniac, her acting skills paled. “Go fuck your teacher”, she hissed playfully instead.

“I plan to”, he countered without missing a beat.

He kissed her one last time. “Thanks for the fun, Princes.”

“Same, Knight.”

The rest of the day, his friends helped him pack, making sure he didn't forget anything. Levy took over his borrowed books, promising to return them to the library for him. Lucy made sure to book train tickets for him and Gajeel made sure he had copies of all their sheet music and any lyrics they had come up with together.

The three didn't just let him slip away the next day either, insisting on following him all the way down to the train station and waving him off.

Once he was on the road, Bickslow noticed just how fast his heart was beating. He was so happy, so nervous, so calm, so anxious, everything at once. This was really happening. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked around the compartment. Everyone else seemed bored stiff, expressionless faces looking down at books, newspapers and screens. He was usually just like that, but today it seemed completely insane to him.

Pinching himself just to make sure he really truly wasn't dreaming, he giggled a little. A few pairs of eyes found him and he stared out the window, tying to seem normal. The scenery rushing by was beautiful, but didn't manage to keep his interest for very long, not when he had so much to look forward to.

It just wasn't possible to keep calm, not today. Flailing his arms out in joy, some form of happy squeal escaped him before he relaxed back in his seat. He just couldn't contain himself any more! Damn anyone that gave him an evil eye for it. Fuck everyone. He was so fucking happy!

Grinning over both ears, he picked his phone from his pocket, bringing up the pictures Laxus had sent him over the past weeks. Fuck he missed the blonde! Flicking through the photographs, he dreamed himself away to that place again until it was time.

The trip took far too long. He was restless as hell. Once the train reached its final stop, he grabbed his luggage and shuffled outside with all the rest.

The station was loud in comparison to the railcar, bustling with people that hurried in all directions. The hall was huge, far larger than any he had seen before, and greyer too, almost monochromatic. Shifting over to a sign to get out of the way, he set his guitar case and travel bag down and looked around in confusion.

Heaps and heaps of people pushed past, some carrying sheer ridiculous amounts of baggage. There were some with children in hand, some with big hiking backpacks, others with bikes and even carts. What he didn't see was Laxus.

Setting a foot against his bag as it threatened to tip over, he tried to orientate himself. Laxus had said he would meet him here, right at the platform, but how the fuck blonde planned to manage that in this mess, he had no idea. Should he perhaps call the man, tell him he had arrived, at which end of the platform he even was?

Someone grabbed him from behind and he nearly jumped out of his skin at the scare.

“Fuck I missed you”, a familiar voice rumbled and he spun around with a bright smile, throwing himself at the blonde enthusiastically and not giving a damn that his bag tumbled to the ground.

“I missed you too. So much!”

Meeting the stormy orange eyes, he reached up, touching the older man's face. It was real aright, the warm embrace, the deep voice, the scar, Laxus, all of him, truly here before him. He felt about ready to cry.

“Now I can finally kiss you in public, huh?”

Laxus nodded, “Seems like it.”

Leaning in, Bickslow met the man's lips, wrapping his arms over the broad shoulders and stroking a hand through the soft strands of hair. Holy shit how much he had missed this. His heart felt like it was burning up in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Parting his lips, he slipped his tongue into the blonde's mouth, pressing himself against the man tightly.

When the need for air became too pressing and the kiss broke, he dropped his head against the man's shoulder. He was smiling like a goof. It was almost a little embarrassing.

“The fuck are you looking at, huh?”, he heard the blonde deal out a harsh warning and looked around in bewilderment. Their little reunion had gotten quite the audience it seemed, people all across the platform suddenly turning away or awkwardly clearing their throats.

Laxus grumbled audibly and he chuckled.

“We're a cute couple it seems.”

“Tsk. Lets go.”, the blonde merely said, picking his big bag off the ground and guiding him out of the tumult of the train station.

“Woah. This city is huge”, Bickslow commented as they crossed the plaza and the older man gave an amused smirk. Getting them bus tickets, he elected not to tease the teenager for his awe just yet. He could be mean another day.

“So, I was thinking”, he began instead. “We were supposed to meet again at a club. There is a nice one fairly close to our apartment.”

Bickslow's cheeks were starting to hurt from all the smiling, but he still couldn't bring himself to stop. 'Our apartment', that was by far the best thing he had heard all week.

“I like where this is going.”

  



	35. Hello Stranger

Bickslow pulled his t-shirt off, tucking it into the arm of his jacket before handing it over to the guy attending the coatroom. Glad the club used stretchy wristbands rather than those little plastic tags you were doomed to loose in the crowd, he headed further into the building.

The place was nice, clean and modern, and far larger than anything you could find around Hargeon. It slowly dawned on him just how much getting used to it would take, living in such a huge city. He didn't mind that in the least, not when he knew Laxus would be there at his side.

The blonde had taken his luggage and headed home to drop it off. He had made up his mind for the both of them long ago. They were going to meet at the club and head home from here together, just like that night in Hargeon. Finding the fixation adorable, Bickslow didn't argue, even if he would have picked other clothes had he know they were going out today.

In a way, this really was the perfect start to his stay in the capital. Here beneath the colourful lights, he was at least a little at home. Seamlessly melting into the crowd, he danced the stress and worry of the past days away, reaching out for the ceiling above.

It didn't take long before he had found an admirer, the other man slowly inching closer. Meeting the beautiful chocolate brown eyes, Bickslow smirked. Good to know he still had it, even after a lengthy interruption to his favourite pastime.

The man came up to him and leaned in to make sure he would hear. “I haven't seen you around here before.” Clearly, the guy was a regular here. And wow did he have a petty voice.

“New in town. I moved here just today”, Bickslow answered.

“Oh? Want me to show you around a little?”, the other suggested and he sniggered.

He would have loved that. The man was exactly what he liked, strong, tall, masculine, surely about ten years older than him, perfect.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I'm taken”, he declined.

“Ah, sucks. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me”, the man teased before turning away.

Smiling to himself, Bickslow shook his head a little. It was nice to be flirted with so smoothly sometimes, but that was not about to happen. He was more than happy with what he had.

On that note, he figured it shouldn't take Laxus more than half an hour to catch up and scooped the room for a muscular blond man. Sure enough, he found what he was looking for.

Laxus was sitting at the bar, wearing the same statement outfit like that night they met, half open lilac shirt and tight leather trousers. He looked just as gorgeous as back then, sitting there with his back straight, predatory orange eyes searching the crowd for prey, and a pure whiskey in his hand. And just like back then, there were a few pretty boys trying to lure him already. That ridiculous piece of perfect really didn't have to do anything more than exists in order to get laid.

Putting on his best confident smirk, Bickslow walked over. “Oh, hey Mr. Dryear. What a surprise, running into you here.”

The blonde turned to him, eyeing him from head to toe without as much as raising an eyebrow.

“Hello Stranger”, he finally responded calmly and Bickslow sniggered.

Coming closer and leaning onto the bar, he asked, “Are you buying? To celebrate the day.” “Juice of course”, he added and Laxus nodded, “Fine.”

Slipping into the blonde's lap, he accepted his drink, enjoying the fruity mix. It did surprise him just a little bit that Laxus didn't put a hand on him, didn't tease or caress at all. Giving the older man a questioning look, he saw a playful shimmer in the orange eyes.

“You know, I'm not really into guys that are this easy”, Laxus said and he laughed.

“Mhm, of course you aren't.”

Emptying his glass, he got up and disappeared back into the crowd, finding his way to a platform and pulling himself up. The music wasn't quite the same as back in the club he used to visit in Hargeon, everything a tad slower, but that gave him the perfect excuse to really use his most seductive moves. Slowly rolling his hips, he made sure to give the blonde and anyone else that happened to be watching a show they wouldn't soon forget.

Laxus raised his glass to his lips again, taking a big gulp. He was almost a little nervous, but he had no idea why. He had done this a million times before. It was odd. Then again, this wouldn't be just like any night out, would it? The guy dancing for him, luring him out with smooth and confident moves wasn't just a lay. This was his boyfriend from today on forward, officially.

He hadn't dated anyone seriously in forever, not counting Mirajane. He really didn't want to take her into the calculation, considering his reasons for that flirt. Drinking perhaps a few too many while he observed and waited, he felt himself relax more again.

Bickslow finally turned to him entirely, eyeing him from afar and bringing that perfect smirk to his lips once more, that particular smirk that dared him to come over there and fuck the teenager.

Getting up, he pushed through the crowd, grabbing a hold of the younger man and pulling him away from what looked to be at least two other interested men.

“One drink.”

Grinning, the black and blue haired man followed him back to the bar and had another glass with him. In contras to that first night, he didn't just look, didn't talk. Instead, he pulled the younger man close and kissed him. The loud music made it impossible to hear it, but he could feel the other man's hum vibrating against his lips. When he pulled back however, the teenager didn't look as pleased.

“You smell really strongly of whiskey”, Bickslow complained. It made it far too hard to resist drinking something as well and they both knew he was not allowed to do that any more.

“Sorry”, Laxus grumbled. He washed it down with a little juice before leaning in again, pressing a new kiss to the soft lips. “Better?”

Bickslow nodded happily.

“So, what do we do now?”, he wondered innocently.

Chuckling, the blonde leaned in, growling against his ear, “I will take you home and fuck you so hard you forget all of your sassy lines.”

“Try me Stud.”

  


Leaving the club together, the two men headed home. Bickslow had seen the condo on a picture before, but now he could spot it in the distance as they walked along the broad flowery roads. This was where they would live from now on, the two of them, together. Despite the autumn cold, he wasn't freezing at all. He was far too excited to feel anything of the sort.

Catching the older man's hand in his own, he fell into step with the blonde. A smile spread over the man's lips again and he couldn't help but mirror it. No matter what was otherwise, today they were both fools in love, wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

“Hey Laxus?”

“Hm?”

“How would all of this have turned out if we hadn't both been at Fairy Tail?”, Bickslow wondered.

“Well...”, the blonde mumbled. “I had planned to call you the next weekend, to invite you over again. We would have met like that a couple of times, fucking another's brains out.”

Not making any effort to hush his voice, he got a few odd looks from passers-by, but that didn't seem to bother him the least right now. He simply continued as though he didn't even notice.

“And once you got me hooked, I wouldn't have hesitated to ask you out. We would have gone on a couple of dates, to restaurants or the cinema, and then I would have asked you to be my boyfriend, probably some morning after, not to ruin the fun in case you don't agree.”

“I like your thinking”, Bickslow smiled.

“We can still do that now.”

“No way in hell”, the teenager protest and Laxus frowned back at him.

“Why the hell not?”

“I'm not waiting for several dates before calling you my boyfriend and I am not waiting an entire week to fuck you again either. We're together. Now”, Bickslow declared and he burst out laughing. Bickslow had never seen him that amused before, ever.

“What?”, he asked confused and the blonde shook his head, chuckling as he rummaged for his keys.

“I didn't mean literally, Idiot.” Unlocking the door and leading on upstairs, he added, “I do want to take you out sometime, though.”

“I think I can live with that”, Bickslow agreed.

Laxus unlocked the apartment and pushed the teenager inside. “But for now...”, he mused, kicking the door closed behind them with a foot and tugging the other man against himself, kissing him deeply.

Bickslow could explore the rest of the apartment another day. Right now, he needed his boyfriend to pay attention to him rather than the interior design. He got no complaints, the black and blue haired man at once inching backwards, trusting him to lead them.

Not breaking their kiss, he guided the younger man into the bedroom, walking him backwards to the bed before pushing him down on it.

Bickslow was pleasantly surprised. Laxus had never initiated this fiercely before. In fact, he had never really initiated at all, not unless promising him sex as reward counted, and lets be fair, that was pretty lame for a come-on. Surely the blonde hadn't felt comfortable with it before, while they both were at Fairy Tail. He was such a teddy bear.

At least taking his shoes off before he shifted back on the bed, Bickslow watched in awe as the blonde undressed entirely, the heated orange eyes not for a second leaving his face. Finally, the stark naked beauty crawled over him, kissing him, reaching for his clothes in turn.

Running a hand over the blonde's chest, he teased over one of the man's nipples and got to hear that deep growl he had longed for so much. Attacking the older man's neck as well, he felt the strong hips grinding down against him and moaned at the friction, at the wave of arousal that washed through his body in the wake of the feverish movement.

When Laxus pulled from him and the firm hands found his belt, he helped along. The blonde seemed more than just a little tipsy, finding it difficult to coordinate his fingers entirely. Once the irksome clothes had been banished to the floor, he dove back down for his boyfriend, running his hands over every inch of skin he could reach.

Feeling his heart beating faster, his body heating at the blonde's touch, Bickslow forced himself to sit up and escape the man's caress before he reached a point where wouldn't be able to any more. There was no way he was going to let this night end with anything less than what the blonde had promised.

Getting a slightly bewildered look from the other man, he smiled, “Give me five minutes”, and left the bed, looking around for the bathroom. Laxus seemed to realise what he was doing when he headed for the white tiled room and flopped down on his back to wait.

“Don't be too long.”

“How impatient”, Bickslow sniggered as he disappeared. He did hurry, not because of Laxus's comment but simply because he was at least as restless his own self.

Returning, he happily let himself be pulled back onto the sheets and pushed down, showered with kisses. Debauched, the blonde didn't make any greater effort to seem calm or drag it out. He sat up on his knees and nudged the teenager away.

“Get on your hands and knees.”

Loving the commanding tone of voice, Bickslow smiled as he followed the directions, getting onto all four and watching the blonde grab the lube off the bedside table.

“Go for it”, he encouraged and Laxus gave him a long look before nodding.

“Okay. If you say so.”

Getting behind the younger man, he applied some of the viscous fluid to his length before lining up. Watching as attentively as he could manage in his intoxication, he eased forward, sliding into the other's body without meeting resistance.

“Fuck. You feel so good. Hah”, he rumbled and Bickslow glanced back in surprise. Since when was Laxus that vocal about his desire? Not that he was complaining. Quite to the contrary, he loved hearing that dark voice talk dirty to him.

“Do I?”, he edged the blonde on further and Laxus nodded.

He pulled back, giving a loud moan as he began moving, keeping his eyes on that perfect ass, seeing his cock disappear to the hilt again. “Shit. So good. Fuck, I missed you so much.” Hunting that perfect ripple of pleasure, he thrust his hips forward quicker and harder for every time.

Leaning down over the younger man, he rambled on even as his voice became breathy. “I missed your skin, your warmth, your pretty eyes, your sexy voice, all of you. Every night I slept here alone, I thought of you, of how much I wanted to have you here at my side.”

Bickslow let his upper body fall to the mattress, holding onto the sheets in an effort to stay in place, to meet the other man's thrusts rather than being pushed forward. Laxus's hands found his hips before long, making the task a lot easier.

How he had yearned for this the past weeks. Every long boring day without the older man at his side had been positively tortuous. He had never been particularly patient and waiting to move here, to be with the man he loved, had been one of the most frustrating times of his life. Every waking moment had felt like an eternity, every tick of the clock a set of sixty minutes rather than sixty seconds. But now he was here, and Laxus was here with him, inside him, not just fucking him but loving him. In this moment, he knew what heaven was like.

Arching up in pleasure, he spotted the mirror doors of the closet that he had insisted on, saw his image reflected on the smooth surface. And he saw Laxus, stunningly beautiful, skin reddened, sweaty, his breathing erratic and his jaw slack, muscles flexing in the movement of his hips.

Pushing himself up on his arms and reaching back for the older man, Bickslow nudged the blonde's chin to the side, nodding at their reflection to call his attention to it. He would have said something, come up with some sassy comment, but the look in the orange eyes when they met his in the reflection gave him pause.

Laxus stilled entirely, catching his breath as he admired the picture of them, joined as one. The mirror really was placed perfectly, allowing a third person view of the entire bed. Realising first now why the furniture had to stand exactly where Bickslow had said, he huffed a laugh.

“Naughty bastard.”

Bickslow chuckled a little, giving him a coy look.

Laxus pulled away from him and got dissatisfied huff in return. The blonde pushed him to lie on his side instead and settled down behind him, taking a hold of his leg and holding it up so he was completely exposed to the reflective surface.

Realising what the other man was doing, Bickslow blushed deeply. He was confident as hell when it came to being watched in pleasure by someone else, when it came to others getting off on looking at him, but to see all of himself like this...

He looked like a hot mess. His skin had a red tint to it as well, his chest heaving and lowering rapidly. It was embarrassing, seeing himself from this angle. It wasn't quite what he had in mind when he picked the closet out. It had been about getting another look at his boyfriend, not himself.

The blonde entered him again and he closed his eyes, taking a hold of the sheets once more.

“That kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?”, Laxus teased, his hot breath rolling over the younger man's neck.

“Come on, look”, the dark voice coaxed and Bickslow slowly reopened his eyes. No way could he ignore that sinful dare.

“Look how beautiful you are”, Laxus murmured into his ear, rolling his hips and causing the other to gasp and arch his neck.

“But you already know that, don't you? Narcissistic Brat”, he kept going, picking his eager rhythm back up. Running his tongue over the younger man's neck, he let out a satisfied hum.

“Ever since that time you tied me down, I've been wanting to see you fucked like this, so I could see all of you”, he continued breathlessly.

“Maybe with a second dick here for you to moan around”, he mused, wiggling an arm under the other's head and curling his fingers into the teenager's mouth.

Bickslow could feel his cock twitch at the suggestion. Since when was Laxus so freaking talkative? And since when was he so damn perverted? Bickslow swore he could have come just imagining it. Groaning around the digits that had invaded his mouth, he could feel the blonde smirking against his neck.

“Touch yourself Bickslow. Let me see you, all of you.”

Averting his eyes from the mirror, he reached down, stroking himself. As aroused as he was, it didn't take long before he found his orgasm and shuddered in the blonde's embrace, moaning loudly around wet fingers and seeing the orange eyes feasting on the scene, memorising every last detail.

Laxus gave a hard exhale, sliding out of his body. He too had found his climax in that moment, seeing and feeling his boyfriend come. Pressing sloppy kisses to the teenager's hot skin, he decided it wasn't worth the effort to as much as turn around and simply pulled a blanket over them where they lay, askew across the bed.

“I love you”, he murmured before closing his eyes.

  



	36. Just the Beginning

“Good morning.”

Laxus groaned in pain. It was Bickslow's voice that woke him, which meant he had every reason to be happy, but his head did not agree at all.

“Hung over?”, the teenager asked, hushing his voice into a soft whisper.

He nodded, sighing deeply as he tried to bring himself to open his eyes and face the bright light of day. He blinked a good couple of times, trying to adjust, before he finally saw the younger man at his side. Messy black and blue bedhair on his head and a smile on his face, he was beautiful as can be.

“This might sound mean, but I'm a little glad you drank too much. I really enjoyed your drunk blabbing”, the teenager teased amused.

Laxus frowned at him for a moment before remembering last night in detail and sighing dejected. Fucking hell. He had actually said all that, admitted his dirty fantasies to the other. This was why he shouldn't drink. Perhaps he'd simply join his boyfriend in abstinence from here on out. It was healthier either way and perhaps the support would help the teenager as well.

“Last night was great”, Bickslow smiled. He looked happy, but the way he said it made it sound far too much like it lay in the past. Wrapping an arm around the teenager's mid, Laxus tugged him close.

“Last night was just the start”, he stated as firmly as he could presently manage. “This is where life begins for us two, together. I'm not about to let go of you again.”

Bickslow nodded a little in his embrace.

“And what you said last night? Did you mean it?”

Unsure what the younger man was referring to, Laxus wondered, “What part?”

“About going on a date.”

“Of course I did. Next weekend, at latest”, the blonde determined.

“And the other thing? About wanting to see me being fucked? 'A second dick' is what you said I believe”, Bickslow smirked.

Laxus blushed a little. It was an incredibly hot thought, but he had a feeling he might get pretty jealous if he saw anyone else touching his boyfriend. “I'm not really sure”, he grumbled and Bickslow sniggered in amusement. He had expected as much.

The blonde hissed in pain at the sound. He loved that laugh so much, but right now it was splitting his head.

“Sorry”, the teenager whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. He nuzzled against the warm skin with a happy hum.

Laxus looked back at the cuddly man, at his beautiful boyfriend. It was brilliant that he could call the teenager that now. His boyfriend. His partner. His lover. His better half. His missing piece. Simply his.

He ran a thumb along that perfect jawline before brining it up to the slim lips. The digit received a small kiss, the dark red eyes fluttering shut for a moment, and he was sure heaven wouldn't be able to compare.

Bickslow let out a sigh and looked back at him again, the smile dropping from his face.

“What is it?”, the blonde asked and he shrugged a little.

“Don't you think someone will figure it out? I mean, that we were a thing long before today.”

“I don't care. They can't prove a thing”, Laxus stated firmly. Come what may, he would fight for them to the very end. Nothing was allowed to break them apart now.

The teenager lay quiet for a long moment, tense. He felt almost guilty to be this happy here beside the other man. The blonde had risked so much, had left everything behind just so they could be together.

He had longed for it ever since they met, but now that he had it, he didn't feel like he really deserved it. At no point had he been particularly romantic, had he lured in a classy way. Every step of the way, he had pushed and hissed. Feeling his stomach complaining, he didn't even realise a few tears made their way down his cheeks.

Laxus reached out to wipe them away. “Don't be afraid. Nothing will happen”, he said in his softest voice, the one that only Bickslow was ever allowed to be on the receiving end of.

“I practically bullied you into dating me”, the younger man said, his voice breaking ever so little.

The blonde shook his head, holding the teenager against his chest tightly. “That's not true and you know it.”

That was just his depression talking. These dips would probably haunt them for a long time, but he wasn't about to let that phase him. He had read up about it, about what to expect, what to do. They would fight this together, hand in hand.

“I love you and I have loved you for a long while. I told you that already, didn't I? Maybe in not so many words. Maybe I should have said it clearer, louder.”

He looked back at the now stunned man.

“I was the one that stuck his tongue down your throat on that stage. I was the one that agreed to ditch class with you. I couldn't control myself when I had you lying there on the ground. I left all those marks on your skin in an attempt to make you mine. I was the one that fucked you over my desk even though I knew you had a girlfriend. I was the one that used the excuse to fuck you again when I told you to study harder. If anyone is to blame for not letting go and walking away when he fucking should, it is me.

You build me up, Bickslow. I am a better person with you. You strip me down, mentally, and every time I am sure I will fall, you catch me. You make me dare things I would never have before, make me dare to let myself just feel, to stop thinking, to love so much I can't deal with it. Despite my brutish looks, you never assume. You always ask if I'm aright. Never ever have I felt this safe being myself with anyone before. You don't allow me to hide and I fucking love you for it. You don't ever let me lie or put up an act. So don't lie to yourself now.”

Taking a measured breath, he met the dark red eyes head on. That had to be the longest ramble he had ever given from himself sober and his heart was racing. The tension was first released when Bickslow cracked a smile.

“I love you too.”

As mischievous and stingy as the teenager could be, after Laxus's most embarrassing confession ever, he did absolutely nothing to tease. He didn't joke about any part of what the blonde had said even though there were a million perfect one liners right there, begging him to make use of them. No, again, he recognised when the older man was truly vulnerable and instead reassured him.

Kissing the teenager again, Laxus swore to himself, he would do anything to help Bickslow rebuild his self-confidence as well. Not just a shell of come-ons and dance moves, but genuine, inside out confidence. And if it so required him to repeat his words ever single day, to say these embarrassing things over and over again, to proclaim it to the entire world, to scream it at the top of his lungs, he'd love to do it.

It was ridiculous how much this man meant to him.

He would be there every step of the way from here on out, just as he had promised, would make sure that Bickslow not just recovered, survived, but that he glowed and lived to the fullest. Nothing would stop him.

Right now, what he really needed was a glass of water and a pain killer, though. Shooing the younger man out of bed, he made Bickslow fetch the items for him.

After placing glass and pill down on the bedside table, the teenager stalked into the bathroom and very deliberately left the door open as he stepped into the shower.

Laxus sighed. That mischievous bastard was going to force him out of bed long before he felt ready to stand, wasn't he?

Reminded of their first night together, he smiled. It had been perfect, even if it was followed by a shock neither one of them had been ready for. When he began working at Fairy Tail, he had been deeply worried about how all of this would end, but today the world was perfect once more, because Bickslow was with him again, and this time he wasn't leaving.

  


**Author's Note:**

> PS: You can find [my Tumblr here](http://seradeposts.tumblr.com/)


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